Household Food Security during Armed Conflicts. Livelihood Coping Strategies in the Bamenda Municipality of the Northwest Region of Cameroon

Scientific Study from the year 2023 in the subject Politics - Region: Africa, , language: English, abstract: Food insecurity caused by conflict calls for sound evidence-based policymaking and interventions. The main objective of this study is to understand the impact of the ongoing armed conflict on household food security, and the sustainability of livelihood coping strategies employed in the Bamenda Municipality of the Northwest region of Cameroon by splicing the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and the Sustainable livelihood framework. Despite enormous multiform humanitarian food aid interventions, the situation is far from improving. It is therefore not clear to what extend the armed conflict has affected household food security in the NW region of Cameroon as a whole and the Bamenda municipality. The effectiveness of livelihood responses in solving the problem cannot also be ascertained. Understanding the relationship between armed conflict and food insecurity (access and availability), associated perceptions, coping strategies and livelihood responses is therefore critical in managing food insecurity across the bord. Although research works on the relationship between food security and violent conflict have steadily increased, it is still an emerging research theme among economists, political scientists, and development researchers to look at livelihood responses and food security in a volatile environment, especially in the Bamenda municipality of the Northwest Region of Cameroon which has been experiencing an ongoing arm conflict since 2017. The main research question of this study is: To what extend has the ongoing socio-political crisis impacted on household food security and what is the sustainability of the livelihood coping strategies being employed in the Bamenda Municipality of the Northwest region of Cameroon?

He was born in 1963 in Kumba, South West Region of Cameroon. Attended primary and secondary school in Catholic School Fence and St Francis Secondary School Kumba respectively from 1970 to 1983. Proceeded to CCAST Bambilifor High school studies. In 1985 was admitted to the School of Agronomy where He graduated in 1990 as an Agronomist. Presently holds an MBA in project management, design, and implementation from the Catholic University of Cameroon Bamenda under the academic tutelage of the University of Douala -Cameroon and a Master of Science (MSc.) Degree in Sustainable Development with specialization in Peace, Conflict, and International Relations from Pan African Institute for Development West Africa, Certified Expect in Agricultural Finance from Frankfurt School of Finance and Management - Germany. He has worked in several local governments and internationally sponsored projects by the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Netherlands government. He is an independent consultant to Many projects and organizations and is present with the United Nations Development Program after 2 years of work with UN Women in Cameroon.