Analysing Vulnerability to Food Insecurity in the Context of Natural Disasters and Its Impact on Demographic Indicators in Mozambique

Rachid Madingue, Federal University of Minas Gerais (Centro de Desenvolvimento e Planejamento Regional))

The study analyses Vulnerability to Food Insecurity in the context of Natural Disasters in Mozambique and its impact on Demographic Indicators. Vulnerability theory was used to understand the capacity of populations to cope with and adapt to crisis situations, such as natural disasters, and interactions between poverty, food security and resilience to environmental shocks. The research methods involve quantitative analysis of food and demographic indicators, complemented by a literature review that discusses the factors that contribute to food insecurity. The econometric model used to quantitatively analyse the indicators was multiple linear regression. This model made it possible to examine the relationship between dependent variables, such as the prevalence of food insecurity, and independent variables, including demographic indicators (mortality, birth rate, fertility) and economic indicators. The results show that despite the increase in agricultural production, food insecurity remains high, with direct impacts on the population's health and migration patterns. Communities most affected by natural disasters, such as droughts and cyclones, face greater vulnerability to food insecurity, resulting in high mortality rates and low fertility. The study concludes that policies focussed on agricultural resilience and strengthening infrastructure are essential to mitigate the effects of food insecurity in Mozambique.

Keywords: Population, Environment, and Climate Change, Fertility, Migrant Populations and Refugees, Health and Morbidity

See extended abstract.