Rurаl Resilience Under Economic Crisis: Microentrepreneurship and Household Food Security in Vаvuniyа, Sri Lаnkа

This study investigates the role of micro-enterprise engagement in enhancing food security among rural households in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka, amid post-conflict vulnerabilities and the recent economic crisis. A comparative cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed to compare 75 households engaged in micro-enterprises with 75 non-engaged households. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. Household food security was assessed using the World Food Programme’s Consolidated Approach for Reporting Indicators, complemented by logit regression and Pearson correlation analyses. The results show that 30 per cent of micro-enterprise households were food-secure, compared with 19 per cent of non-engaged households. The intervention group relied less on negative coping strategies and demonstrated higher income diversification and greater confidence in recovering from economic shocks. Logit regression results indicate that participation in micro-enterprises is the strongest predictor of food security. Other positive determinants include household income, education level, land ownership, access to credit, and asset holdings. A larger household size negatively affected food security. The findings highlight micro-enterprises as a critical pathway to strengthening rural resilience and improving food security in post-conflict settings.