Since 2019, the Mexican Government has implemented the Sembrando Vida Program (SVP) to address environmental degradation and social marginalization in rural areas. This research analyzed the SVP’s targeting mechanisms to assess the fulfillment of its objectives in the central region of the state of Guerrero, Mexico. The methodology included an analysis of the Operating Rules; a review of the beneficiary registry; the construction of environmental, social, and economic indicators; proportional stratified sampling with a 90% confidence level; and an SVP evaluation using indicators and confidence intervals. Targeting mechanisms identified agrarian subjects aged ≥ 18 years with 2.5 hectares living below the poverty line. Changes in the indicator matrix highlight a focus on food self-sufficiency and poverty levels, among others. Key results from the indicators include 100% social recovery, 62.3% of beneficiaries increased their agricultural income, and 100% application of learned environmental techniques. The intervals showed that between 26.49–42.19% of individuals joined the agricultural sector; 55.68–71.58% diversified their crops; and 86.15–95.65% made improvements in health, housing, or education. The evaluation of the SVP demonstrated its impact on environmental preservation and the improvement of the socioeconomic well-being of the rural population in the study area.

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explores how older adults in rural Bavaria, Germany, experience food poverty beyond financial constraints, emphasizing its material and social dimensions. Based on interviews with ten individuals aged 65 and older, it identifies age-related challenges, reduced mobility, and social isolation as key factors that limit access to adequate nutrition and food-related social participation. Even in the absence of formal economic disadvantage, individuals face significant barriers. Supportive social networks can help mitigate these effects. The study calls for a broader, intersectional understanding of food poverty as a form of social inequality and highlights the need for context-sensitive strategies to support aging populations in rural areas.

Global aridity is increasing due to anthropogenic warming, which raises atmospheric evaporative demand faster than precipitation. As a result, more land and populations are exposed to arid conditions, a trend projected to intensify in the coming decades. Aridity is a long-term climatological condition that affects large regions worldwide. Unlike short-term phenomena such as droughts, aridity leads to gradual but increasingly detrimental impacts on biophysical and socio-economic systems. Over time it can transform landscapes into desert-like environments, hindering the development of life and compromising the well-being of societies. The impacts of aridity are complex and diverse, and it is especially challenging to assess its effects on socioeconomic systems. Yet no global review has systematically examined the impacts of aridity, the factors driving societal vulnerability, and the adaptation measures being implemented. This paper provides the first comprehensive synthesis of these dimensions, thereby filling a critical gap in the literature. Our review shows that while references to biophysical impacts are increasing, explicit studies on socio-economic consequences—such as those on food production, poverty, health, and migration—remain scarce. These are often inferred indirectly from related concepts like drought or desertification. By systematically integrating this dispersed evidence, our article highlights both natural and socio-economic impacts, identifies key knowledge gaps, and outlines priority areas for future research. Such knowledge is essential for improving mitigation and adaptation strategies that strengthen resilience in increasingly arid regions.

Regenerative agroecology promotes a suite of methods that diversify farmers’ techniques, crops, and income-generating opportunities. Many low- and middle-income countries struggle with food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty, relying on natural resources for their livelihoods. In Madagascar, we led agroecology interventions, sharing locally grounded technologies to increase productivity and regenerate biodiversity. We evaluated the short- and medium-term outcomes using a mixed-methods social science approach. We monitored a cohort of over 500 participants in 27 rural communities who trained in market vegetable farming and poultry husbandry between 2019 and 2025. For participants in market vegetable and poultry husbandry interventions, over half adopted new technologies, reporting positive experiences, though outcome achievement varied. Participants in the market vegetable interventions reported they had the knowledge and skills to practice sustainable agriculture, remarking that the hands-on demonstrations and practice facilitated learning, as well as the accessibility of resources for implementation. Women were 1.68× more likely to adopt vegetable farming than men (multinomial regressions, gender log odds = 0.53, p < 0.01), while there was no difference in genders in adoption of poultry husbandry (gender log odds = 0.28, p > 0.05). Most (95–98%, n = 1012) responded they were satisfied with the results of the interventions and would continue to use the skills they learned. Insights generated by this program evaluation led to the following recommendations and improvements: (1) more hands-on demonstrations compared to classroom presentations; (2) more frequent medium-term consultations with participants; (3) introducing microcredit mechanisms to combat cost-related barriers; (4) diversifying outreach approaches. Implementing these recommendations continues to improve outcomes as we scale our interventions.

Potato, a globally important food crop, plays a key role in ensuring food security and poverty alleviation. Addressing the prominent contradiction between water scarcity and low nitrogen use efficiency in potato production in the arid regions of northwest China, this study conducted a water-nitrogen regulation experiment to explore the synergistic effects of water-nitrogen management on potato yield and physiological ecology. Irrigation treatments included the full irrigation quota (2250 m3 ha-1, W3), 20% water-saving (1800 m3 ha-1, W2), and 40% water-saving (1350 m3 ha-1, W1), while nitrogen application treatments consisted of the full nitrogen rate (195 kg ha-1, N3), 20% nitrogen reduction (156 kg ha-1, N2), 40% nitrogen reduction (117 kg ha-1, N1), with the local conventional practice as the control (CK). The results showed that the W2N2 treatment had the highest chlorophyll content, which was significantly higher than other treatments and 2.87% higher than CK on average. Under water-nitrogen interaction, potato leaf gas exchange parameters first increased and then decreased with growth stages, peaking at the tuber formation stage, and the W2N2 treatment was significantly superior to other combinations. For nutrient contents in various plant organs, the W2N2 treatment also achieved the highest total nitrogen and total phosphorus contents, which were significantly higher than other treatments. The distribution ratios of nutrient contents in different organs varied with water-nitrogen treatments across years. Based on quadratic regression analysis and the TOPSIS model, the optimal water-nitrogen coupling pattern for potato cultivation in the arid zone of central Ningxia was determined as W2N2, providing theoretical and technical references for efficient potato cultivation with water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in arid regions.

This study aims to map and investigate the contribution of the tourism sector to economic development in 34 regencies/cities in East Java. As one of the main drivers of economic growth, this study examines the impact of tourism across the province. Utilizing data from 2019 and 2023 provided by the Central Bureau of Statistics, this research employs a descriptive quantitative approach and analyzes various macroeconomic indicators through linear correlation analysis with a four-quadrant scatter plot. These indicators include the total Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) at current prices in the accommodation and food service sector, economic growth, Gini ratio, poverty rate, and unemployment rate. This analysis aims to achieve several objectives. First, to evaluate the impact of tourism on the overall economy of East Java. Second, to investigate the role of tourism in poverty and unemployment reduction. Lastly, the study focuses on developing integrated and sustainable tourism strategies to maximize the sector's contribution to the local economy. By assessing the performance of the tourism sector and identifying existing challenges and opportunities, this research is expected to provide a solid foundation for formulating effective and optimal tourism development strategies in East Java.

Mapping rural food poverty: The impact of rurality on consumers' access to food using an ‘at risk of food poverty index’

This qualitative study investigates the mental health impact of sociocultural barriers to reproductive health among young married women of the Madhesh community in Harion, Sarlahi, Nepal. Reproductive health, a fundamental human right essential for social, emotional, and physical well-being, is constrained by entrenched patriarchal norms, gender discrimination, and cultural traditions in this community. Through in-depth interviews with three purposively selected married women under 24 years, the study identifies four key themes: gender and social inequality manifested in son preference, dowry, educational discrimination, and enforced silence; marriage-related factors including child marriage, early pregnancy, unpaid labor, and reproductive pressure; nutrition and health access influenced by food hierarchies, poverty, and limited healthcare use; and challenges in natal and postnatal stages characterized by neglect, overwork, malnutrition, and postnatal depression. These issues cause anxiety and low self-esteem, showing that reproductive and mental health are shaped by social and cultural, not just medical, factors. The study calls for integrated health policies and programs addressing gender inequity to improve women’s autonomy and well-being.

As the third most important global food crop, potato plays a vital role in ensuring food security and poverty alleviation. However, its production is severely threatened by the potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella; PTM), a destructive pest that damages foliage during growth and bores into tubers during storage, causing yield losses of 85-100% under severe infestations. Traditional reliance on chemical pesticides poses challenges such as environmental pollution, pesticide residues, and increased production costs, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives. In this study, Cry1C and Cry2A genes were expressed in potato cultivar E3 via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, generating single-copy transgenic lines with high gene expression. Bioassays showed that PTM larvae feeding on transgenic leaves exhibited significantly elevated mortality (>35.4%), with the Cry1C-2 line achieving 60.4% mortality within 24 h. Notably, the highest-expressing Cry1C and Cry2A transgenic lines caused 100% larval mortality within 4 and 7 days, respectively, demonstrating complete lethality against PTM. Histological analysis confirmed that Bt proteins induced midgut epithelial cell lysis and peritrophic membrane disruption, directly leading to insect death. This study is the first to demonstrate that Cry2A expression in potato confers resistance to PTM. It provides novel genetic resources for insect-resistant potato breeding and proposes a gene pyramiding strategy to delay the onset of resistance evolution in pest populations. Future research should focus on evaluating field resistance durability and investigating potential synergistic effects between Cry1C/Cry2A and other Bt proteins to develop multi-target pest management systems. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Climate change poses significant challenges to livestock, particularly in tropical regions. The Amazon biome, which hosts one of the world’s largest cattle populations, faces growing risks of nutritional, metabolic, and infectious diseases driven by heat stress (HS) and environmental instability. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from primary studies, international reports (IPCC, FAO), and peer-reviewed literature on cattle physiology, disease dynamics, and climate adaptation. HS reduces feed intake, disrupts endocrine–metabolic homeostasis, and suppresses immunity, increasing susceptibility to metabolic, deficiency and infectious diseases. Breed-specific immune responses offer opportunities for genetic and management-based adaptation. Socio-economic impacts disproportionately affect smallholders, linking livestock health to food security and poverty. Ensuring sustainable cattle production in the Amazon will require climate-smart strategies integrating nutrition, genetics, reproduction, and health management, supported by policies that align adaptation and mitigation. Future research should prioritize immune-metabolic biomarkers, periparturient disease monitoring, and genomic tools for thermotolerance.

BackgroundShort-term memory, the ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information, plays a critical role in learning and academic performance. This study aims to assess factors associated with low short-term memory in 524 children aged 8–14 years who attended public government schools in the Benin.MethodologySixteen randomly selected schools located in peri-urban areas in northern and southern Benin participated in this cross-sectional study. Short-term memory was assessed via the WISC digit span tool. Food insecurity was evaluated with the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Socioeconomic and health data were collected through a digitalized questionnaire. Nutritional status was determined through anthropometric measurements and a hemoglobin test.ResultsThe prevalence of below average short-term memory was 53.47% in the Northern and 28.81% in the southern Benin. In the northern region, 5.56%, 8.68%, and 13.19% of the pupils were, mildly, moderately, and severely food-insecure, respectively. In the southern region, 22.46%, 6.36%, and 3.38% of the pupils fell into the same categories, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that severe food insecurity (OR = 3.461, p < 0.05), moderate and severe thinness (OR = 1.680, p < 0.005), poverty (OR = 2.916, p < 0.001), caregivers’ illiteracy (OR = 1.89, p < 0.05), pupils’ age (OR = 0.864, p < 0.05) and being from the northern regions (OR = 2.263, p < 0.05) were significant predictors of low short-term memory ability.ConclusionEven with access to a school canteen program, pupils from northern regions, malnourished, food-insecure and from socioeconomically disadvantaged households are more likely to exhibit low short-term memory skills. Policymakers should prioritize the implementation of evidence-based interventions and policies aimed at alleviating food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty, alongside initiatives to enhance infrastructure and essential services, including access to electricity in underserved and remote areas.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40795-025-01182-3.

Despite the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), data on CVD management and disease control among patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) are limited. In this study, we sought to understand CVD risk factor control, disease management, and healthcare utilization in LEP patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2011 to 2020 in LEP and English-speaking patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) or heart failure (HF). We compared medication use, symptom burden, healthcare utilization, and CVD risk factors control based on language preference. We further assessed for significant differences between these groups using multivariable modeling. Our weighted study population represented 5.8 million adults with CAD or HF. Among LEP patients with HF, 44% were female and 80% were Hispanic. LEP patients with HF had higher rates of food insecurity (p = 0.01) and poverty (p = 0.002) compared to English speakers. There were no significant differences in symptom burden, medication use, or healthcare utilization patterns among English speakers and LEP patients with HF. Among patients with CAD, there were no significant differences in cardiovascular risk factor control, symptom burden, medication use, or healthcare utilization based on language preference. Approximately, 25% of English-speaking patients with CAD were active smokers compared to 12% of LEP patients (p = 0.034). Among patients with CAD or HF, language preference did not impact CVD risk factor control, symptom burden, medication use, or healthcare utilization. Future studies exploring other aspects of care, such as access to care and rates of CVD detection in LEP populations, are still warranted.

Agriculture is the backbone of the economies of many countries globally, contributing significantly to food security and poverty eradication in the nation. It not only provides sustenance but also feeds various industries raw materials like textiles, pharmaceuticals, and fuel production. Date cultivation is significant in Saudi Arabia's agriculture. It is one of the major pillars of the nation's agriculture and makes a significant contribution to the nation's economy, thus becoming one of the global leading producers of dates. Diseases that have the capability to destroy date palm groves and limit harvests considerably are among the most crucial challenges. Diseases can be major contributors to economic losses through harming both local consumption and global exports. Disease diagnosis via conventional methods is complicated and unreliable. The unstable climate of Saudi Arabia also contributes to the challenge of the date farmers. In order to overcome these challenges, the suggested AI-based system that utilizes cutting-edge technologies like computer vision and deep learning provides an apparent solution. The technique can help with early treatment and intervention by rapidly and accurately identifying disease in date crops via computer vision algorithms. In addition, its capability to process huge amounts of environmental data collected through sensors and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) allows for precise predictions and knowledge-based crop management decisions. 6G technology integration can ensure ultra-fast and secure connectivity, allowing smooth communication between the system and internet of things (IoT) sensors. This will enable the system to gather real-time information on different environmental and agricultural parameters, including temperature, humidity, and soil water levels, which may affect date crop health. Thus, by bringing together and putting in place cutting-edge technologies, we can reinvent the agriculture sector in an entirely new and revolutionary manner.

Climate change, by exacerbating poverty and food insecurity, creates complex dynamics that threaten global food security. This study aims to examine the complex interactions between these phenomena (climate change, poverty and food security), adopting a multidimensional approach to understand their direct and indirect relationships. The study focused on eight countries representing the African, Asian, American and European continents, selected according to their Human Development Index (HDI). Data is collected for the period 1990–2020 from platforms such as FAO, World Bank, UNDP and Our World in Data, based on indicators of poverty, climate change and food insecurity (qualitative approach). Data analysis is based on time series (temporal evolutions in climate and poverty variables) as well as thematic content analysis. Analysis of evolutions in poverty indicators and the HDI reveals marked disparities between regions, with notable progress in Asia and Europe, but persistent challenges in Africa and Yemen. Similarly, these disparities are also observed for climate evolutions and changes in land, particularly in Africa and Asia. Regarding food insecurity evolutions, there is a considerable increase with marked regional disparities, where Africa and Latin America are the most affected. Direct arable effects include reduced agricultural productivity, crop and livestock yield, increased undernourishment, reduced livelihoods and producer incomes. Indirectly, these changes reduce crop quality, disrupt ecosystem services, exacerbate resource conflicts and increase production costs. These findings provide guidance for policymakers and researchers in developing integrated strategies that address not only food security and poverty, but also climate change.

Background: Food insecurity, defined as having limited or unpredictable access to enough food, is a severe public health issue that disproportionately affects socioeconomically disadvantaged people. Although stroke mortality and disability reflect well-established regional and racial disparities, the independent impact of food poverty on stroke outcomes is unknown. The relationship between county-level food insecurity and stroke mortality in the United States was investigated using national geospatial datasets. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional ecological study using publicly available data from the CDC WONDER (Multiple Cause of Death Database, 2016-2021) and the USDA Food Access Research Atlas. USDA figures were used to categorize counties based on their food insecurity prevalence: low (&lt;5%), moderate (5-14.9%), and high (≥ 15%). The age-adjusted stroke death rates (ICD-10: I61.x and I63.x) were obtained from CDC WONDER. Covariates included the county's poverty rate, racial composition, median family income, urban-rural status, and the density of major stroke centers. Geospatial mapping and multivariable linear regression models were used to assess associations. Results: Among 3,142 U.S. counties analyzed, those with high food insecurity had significantly higher age-adjusted stroke mortality rates (mean: 53.7 per 100,000) than those with low food insecurity (mean: 37.2 per 100,000; p&lt;0.001). Despite controlling socioeconomic and healthcare access, significant food insecurity was still linked to higher stroke mortality (β = +4.21, 95% CI: 2.99-5.44, p &lt; 0.001). Geographic heatmaps revealed death hotspots in the Southeast (Mississippi Delta, Alabama Black Belt) and rural Midwest—areas with high food poverty and low healthcare density. Black and Hispanic inhabitants in high-insecurity counties got much lower ratings. Conclusion: Food insecurity at the county level is a robust and independent predictor of stroke mortality in the United States, even after controlling for socioeconomic and healthcare access characteristics. emphasizes the critical need to include food security interventions into cardiovascular disease prevention frameworks. Targeted public health measures in high-risk communities may reduce stroke inequities and increase population-level outcomes.

Background: Obesity-related cardiovascular death rates in the U.S. have nearly tripled over the past two decades, rising from 2.2 to 6.6 deaths per 100,000 people, highlighting a growing public health crisis that demands urgent attention. The hunger–obesity paradox occurs when limited access to nutritious food forces individuals to rely on inexpensive, calorie-dense alternatives, leading to higher obesity rates despite food scarcity. Objective: We aim to understand the influence of social determinants of health, specifically food insecurity, poverty, and educational attainment, on obesity prevalence rates across the 50 states in the United States. We seek to identify the variables that contribute to disparities in obesity prevalence and to propose state-specific public health strategies. Additionally, we aim to shed light on the hunger–obesity paradox by focusing on the role of the food insecurity index in influencing obesity prevalence rates. Methods: We analyzed state-level data from 2023 obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Census Bureau. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations were used to assess the associations between obesity and key variables. A multivariate linear regression model was then employed to evaluate the independent effects of these variables on state-level obesity prevalence. Results: Across the 50 states, the average obesity prevalence was 36.48%, ranging from 30.1% in Florida to 42.4% in Oklahoma. The average food insecurity rate was 11.79%, with the highest observed in Arkansas (18.9%) and the lowest in New Hampshire (7.4%). Food insecurity demonstrated the strongest positive correlation with obesity prevalence (r = 0.48, p &lt; 0.001), followed by poverty (r = 0.27, p = 0.062). Educational attainment showed a weak, non-significant inverse correlation (r = –0.10, p = 0.48). In the multivariate regression model, food insecurity, poverty, and education collectively explained 31.6% of the variance in state-level obesity rates (adjusted R^2 = 0.316, p = 0.0005). Notably, food insecurity remained the only statistically significant independent predictor of obesity prevalence (β = 0.99, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Food insecurity is a key driver of obesity prevalence, independent of poverty and education. This highlights the importance of ensuring equitable access to nutritious food as part of public health efforts to reduce obesity-related complications and health disparities.

In the past five years the UK food system has been severely impacted by a combination of events including the pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, and the cost-of-living crisis. The resulting escalation of food prices has increased levels of food insecurity however much research has focused on families. Food aid providers have reported increasing numbers of older adults seeking support to access food (1) . Food insecurity in older adults is affected by an accumulation of factors that can amplify the impact of financial threats to exacerbating their susceptibility to food poverty, including decline in functional ability and reduced social networks (2) . Traditionally, services like Meals on Wheels or lunch clubs safeguarded the food security of older adults; however, austerity policies have led to their decline, further compromising older people’s ability to access nutritious food. Prolonged food insecurity increases risk of malnutrition/undernutrition. A scoping review aimed to map current academic knowledge of pensioner age experience of using food aid in the UK and other OECD member countries. Four databases: Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were searched using predefined search terms identifying 4762 papers. Screening of abstracts and full text papers resulted in 30 academic articles that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the review. Most of the studies (16 studies) were undertaken in the USA, 8 in the UK, in Australia and 1 in the Netherlands. Most of the studies used qualitative methods (n=22), two were quantitative, and six used mixed methods. Included identified the following 4 themes: (1) Social and Emotional Benefits (12 Studies): Many individuals use food aid services not just for accessing food but also for social support and interaction; (2) Stigma (16 Studies): Stigma and shame were barriers for older people using food aid. Lack of knowledge about available services are significant barriers to accessing support; (3) Quality and Suitability of Food (8 Studies) : There are concerns about the quality and suitability of food provided, particularly for those with dietary restrictions or cultural preferences; and (4) Challenges Accessing Food Support (13 Studies): Challenges to accessing food aid include transport especially in rural areas, mobility affects ability to carry food home. Language barriers affected ability to engage with infrastructure. The scoping review highlights the challenges PAH face when accessing food aid services. In the short term, in order to better meet the nutritional needs of the Increasing numbers of PAH needing support to address food insecurity requires food aid services to respond to their specific needs. Longer term, policy makers need to address the issues driving PAH to food aid. Further research is needed to explore the wider cost of food insecurity across the food, health and social care system.

Given that news media play key roles in shaping public and policy responses to food poverty and insecurity, this study analysed how newspapers frame these issues across the island of Ireland, comparing coverage between jurisdictions (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) and newspaper types (national versus regional/local). Using LexisNexis and Irish Newspaper Archives, we searched for articles containing ‘food poverty’ or ‘food insecurity’ published between January 2018 and January 2023. We used Entman's framing theory to code articles for problem definitions, causal interpretations, solutions, moral evaluations, and social actors. Analysis of 80 articles from 14 newspapers revealed coverage peaked during school holiday periods (December and Summer), reinforcing episodic attention to ‘holiday hunger’. Although structural causes appeared in 66% of articles—including inadequate income, living costs, and welfare failures—proposed solutions were predominantly charitable (79%) rather than structural (39%), with food banks cited most frequently. National newspapers more frequently discussed structural causes and policy solutions, while regional publications focused on charitable responses. Articles predominantly featured voices from charities (88%) and government officials (50%), while only 10% incorporated voices from those experiencing food poverty and insecurity. This disconnect between acknowledged structural causes and proposed charitable solutions perpetuates normalization of food poverty and insecurity, obscuring state responsibility for ensuring the right to adequate food. Such framing impedes recognition that this issue in wealthy nations results from political choices requiring systemic reform, not charitable intervention.

Agricultural productivity is a cornerstone of food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development. While traditional determinants such as land, labor, credit, and water have been widely studied, the broader role of national productive capacities remains underexplored, particularly in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This study investigates the impact of productive capacities on agricultural productivity in 42 BRI countries from 2000 to 2024, using the Productive Capacities Index (PCI) alongside conventional inputs. The study employed the system GMM and 2SLS econometric techniques and then employed other econometric techniques such as Driscoll-Kraay, Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), and Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE) to check the robustness of the results. It is found that higher productive capacities significantly enhance agricultural productivity, while access to credit, land expansion, and water availability also play critical roles. Labor contributions, however, show mixed effects, suggesting inefficiencies in labor-intensive farming systems. By integrating PCI, this study provides a novel, cross-sectoral perspective on agricultural development. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening infrastructure, technology, institutions, and human capital within the BRI framework to foster sustainable agricultural growth and regional food security.

This study investigates the relationship between food insecurity and poverty among rural households in Red Sea State, Eastern Sudan. Drawing on a cross-sectional household survey conducted across three localities—Suakin, Port Sudan, and Arbaat—the analysis applies the FAO Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and chi-square statistical tests to examine how gender, migration status, education, and household size influence welfare outcomes. Based on a field survey of 394 households across Suakin, Port Sudan, and Algonub (Arbaat), the study examines demographic characteristics, income-generating strategies, food insecurity, and poverty prevalence. Results reveal that 47.2% of households experience moderate to severe food insecurity, and 84.5% live living below the international poverty threshold of USD 1.90/day. Disaggregated findings reveal significant disparities: Only 17% of female-headed households are food secure compared to 39.9% of male-headed households, while 94.3% of females live below the poverty line versus 81.7% of males. Migration status further amplifies vulnerability—none of the refugee households were food secure, and 100% live in poverty, compared to 13.8% food security and 93.3% poverty among IDPs, and 37.8% food security and 83.2% poverty among host communities. These insights underscore the importance of gender-sensitive and migration-aware policy interventions to build resilience and reduce poverty in fragile rural contexts.