Humanitarian Food Assistance and Traditional Social Safety Nets

Livelihood among Kaabong people was long known to depend on livestock and the high cultural importance and economic values attached to it. Significant shift in the traditional livelihood means to crop production and petty trade in local brews, firewood and charcoal was noted. Considering the effect of humanitarian food assistance on traditional social safety nets with reference to consumption adjustment, livestock sales and migration, it was observed that humanitarian food assistance affects traditional social safety nets at varying magnitudes. Food assistance relates well with coping behaviours. Livestock sales and food assistance relations was largely impartial. Food assistance and migration relations was positive and insignificant. Efforts to protect traditional livelihood assets while providing food security support to the household is indorsed to safeguard and rebuild livelihoods. Food assistance can be a tool to protect community customary livelihoods in their desired occupation not withstanding other options. This is important to ease closer monitoring of community safety nets as shift in livelihood strategies without desired alternative may create destitution and dependency