How do urban vulnerable groups cope with price increases of staple food? The displaced people of Mopti/Mali

As a consequence of the last two droughts in the Sahel, in 1991 still 3,850 displaced people were living in Mopti under precarious conditions. These people represent one of the most vulnerable groups within the urban food system of Mopti being directly dependent on market mechanisms and directly affected by food price increases. But they do not form a homogeneous group, some persons or households are more affected than others.The degree of being affected by food price fluctuations is to a large extent dependent on ethnicity, gender, the number of dependants to be supported by economically active household members and the degree of integration into social networks. The state-run Food-Security-Programme as well as programmes of international development cooperation are playing a very marginal role in mitigating food insecurity in the urban context. This is mainly an effect of shortfalls in the targeting process.