COVID-19 pandemic and the evolution of food insecurity in rural and urban households in Uganda

Using nationally representative Uganda high-frequency phone survey data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper examines the differences in prevalence and evolution of food insecurity and main food sources between rural and urban households. The results show that prevalence of food insecurity was significantly higher in rural relative to urban households. Furthermore, there was a convergence between rural and urban households in sourcing food from the market. These findings highlight an endemic inequality between rural and urban households and an ongoing transformation in food sources. These results have practical applications for designing policies to mitigate food insecurity during systemic shocks.