Migration and living conditions in urban slums: implications for food security

Migration to urban areas is a regular phenomenon but climate induced displacement forced to migrate to cities over the recent years is a matter of concern. Increased frequency and severity of natural disasters by climate change over the past recent years are not only displacing people physically but also exposing to enhanced poverty by threatening their livelihoods temporarily and permanently. Growing number of people rush to city’s slums creates urban crisis. Climate change threatens peoples’ access to food as they become socioeconomically susceptible. Displaced people living in urban slums are in search of better and secure life. But urban slums located mostly in low lying environmentally hazardous area coupled with inadequate facilities like food, shelter, sanitation, health care make their life even worse. Growing number of people in urban slums over the recent past creates extra pressure on existing systems and challenge to government development activities like slum development and poverty reduction strategy. This paper depicts socioeconomic condition of slum dwellers and their consumption pattern, while it has been found that majority of them can’t afford nutritious food which is expensive to them. Planned migration and secured socioeconomic factors are suggested through this paper to lessen exposure to further poverty and food insecurity of urban poor.