Food Insecurity and Livelihood Vulnerability in Informal Urban Settlements: A Review

Abstract

Rapid urbanization in developing countries has reshaped the geography of poverty and hunger. Informal urban settlements, commonly referred to as slums, have become critical sites of livelihood vulnerability where households depend almost entirely on market purchases for food. This paper reviews the relationship between food insecurity and livelihood precarity in informal urban settlements with reference to India. Drawing upon global food security assessments, the High-Level Panel of Experts report on urban food systems, and empirical research conducted in Indian slums, the study argues that urban food insecurity is primarily a problem of economic access rather than food availability. Irregular employment, unstable income, high living costs, absence of productive assets and exclusion from welfare systems significantly constrain dietary access and quality. Evidence from Indian cities shows high prevalence of food insecurity, compromised dietary diversity and widespread child malnutrition among slum populations. Women and adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to gendered access to resources and caregiving responsibilities. The paper further shows that nutrition programmes and subsidized food distribution improve access but remain limited by settlement informality and administrative exclusion. It concludes that food insecurity in slums reflects structural inequality embedded in urban labour markets and governance systems. Addressing the problem requires strengthening livelihood security, social protection, and institutional inclusion rather than focusing solely on food production.