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Topical Area: Climate, Food Systems, Diet, Nutrition and Health

Climate, Food Systems, Diet, Nutrition and Health (Poster Session)

(P02-014-23) Associations Between a Cash Voucher Intervention and Food Consumption and Coping Strategies in Refugee Camps in Somalia

Saturday, July 22, 2023
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 349

    Presenting Author(s)

  • TF

    Theresa K. Fang, MPH

    Graduate Student
    Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
    Baltimore, Maryland, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • YK

    Yunhee Kang, PhD

    Associate Scientist
    Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
    Baltimore, Maryland, United States

  • AT

    Andy Tran, MPH

    Student
    Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
    Lincolnwood, Illinois, United States

Disclosure(s):
Theresa K. Fang, MPH: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Andy Tran, BA, MPH: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Refugee populations living in northern and southern regions of Somalia have experienced food insecurity for decades as a result of severe drought. This study aimed to explore the association between cash for asset vouchers on building community resiliency and improving food security.

Methods: This secondary data analysis was conducted using endline data from 1,371 Somalian households (HH) who participated in World Vision’s Emergency Food Security Program (EFSP) from May 2018 to May 2019. All participants received conditional and unconditional cash for asset vouchers and trainings on nutrition, hygiene, and community livelihoods. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the association between program interventions and food consumption score (FCS, low (borderline/poor): 0-35, high (acceptable): 35.0001-100 or greater) and reduced coping strategy index (rCSI, acceptable: 0-3, emergency/crisis: 4-56).

Results: 41.5% of all HH that received cash vouchers reported low FCS and 71.1% had high rCSI. Females were more likely to have low FCS (Adjusted OR 1.28; 95% CI (1.0,1.6)) and high rCSI (1.69; 1.27, 2.25) compared to males. Those who reported non-formal schooling (Quaranic) were more likely to have low FCS (1.79; 1.35, 2.37). Those who reported redemption of cash vouchers were more likely to have low FCS (1.02; 0.95, 1.10), but were also less likely to have a high rCSI (0.84; 0.76, 0.93). Utilization of vouchers for food purchase showed respondents were less likely to have low FCS (0.34; 0.23, 0.51), and purchase of more types of food for greater dietary diversity was negatively associated with low FCS (0.7; 0.55, 0.89).

Participants who reported increased availability of food at markets were more likely to have higher rCSI (1.42; (0.94, 2.15), and those who reported improved community rehabilitation through increased water catchment areas/sources were more likely to have higher rCSI (2.02; 1.51, 2.7).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that interventions utilizing cash vouchers benefited refugee populations suffering from food insecurity. There should be greater focus on community recovery, rehabilitation, and resilience to have a greater impact on addressing long-term food insecurity among Somalia refugee population.

Funding Sources: N/A