COVID-19 Ripples: Vulnerability to food insecurity and coping strategies for low-income fisheries-dependent lacustrine urban dwellers

Abstract

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) measures were counter-productive in the food and nutritional security landscape for households that were already vulnerable before the pandemic. Our study assessed the food insecurity experiences of low-income, fisheries-dependent, urban dwellers of Manyatta slum in Kisumu, Kenya, during the implementation of the COVID-19 regulations. Data was collected from 24 households in July 2021 for a period of 14 days using a standard food security assessment questionnaire. Results indicate that the main sources of food during the pandemic were small shops (50%) and rural open-air markets (42%), with major shopping malls less frequented for food purchases. Further, most (83%) respondents had a reduction in their income during the pandemic. Overall, affected Manyatta slum dwellers were affected by increased food prices, reduced income and limited access to food products. The coping mechanism was borrowing money or food to meet the shortfall. The availability and affordability of fish, which is the main source of animal proteins for the community, was negatively impacted by the dusk-to-dawn curfew, which curtailed night fishing. Subsidies for nutritionally important food items such as fish, and increased access to credit for vulnerable slum dwellers to help them meet their food budgets during pandemics are recommended.