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Displaced Populations, Humanitarian Assistance and Hosts: A Framework for Analyzing Impacts on Semi-urban Households

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  • Alix-Garcia, Jennifer
  • Bartlett, Anne
  • Saah, David

Abstract

This paper presents a framework for understanding the impacts of civil war, displaced populations, and humanitarian assistance on host populations in semi-urban areas. Our model shows that under conditions of conflict where populations flow from rural to urban areas and food aid follows, changes in food, housing and labor markets result in changes to local prices which will potentially impoverish consumers but provide earning opportunities for property owners and suppliers of non-tradable goods, and that the price dynamics are likely to induce significant land use change. We combine satellite, price, aid delivery and population inflow data with qualitative interviews from Nyala, Darfur. The data confirm the hypotheses, and the paper discusses possible policy responses.

Suggested Citation

  • Alix-Garcia, Jennifer & Bartlett, Anne & Saah, David, 2012. "Displaced Populations, Humanitarian Assistance and Hosts: A Framework for Analyzing Impacts on Semi-urban Households," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 373-386.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:40:y:2012:i:2:p:373-386
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2011.06.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Singer, Hans & Wood, John & Jennings, Tony, 1987. "Food Aid: The Challenge and the Opportunity," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198285182.
    2. Jennifer Alix-Garcia & David Saah, 2009. "The Effect of Refugee Inflows on Host Communities: Evidence from Tanzania," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 24(1), pages 148-170, November.
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    7. Jeremy Weinstein, 2005. "Autonomous Recovery and International Intervention in Comparative Perspective," Working Papers 57, Center for Global Development.
    8. Saul Lach, 2007. "Immigration and Prices," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 115(4), pages 548-587, August.
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    11. Acemoglu,Daron & Robinson,James A., 2009. "Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521671422.
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    6. Verme, Paolo & Schuettler, Kirsten, 2021. "The impact of forced displacement on host communities: A review of the empirical literature in economics," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    7. Alhawarin, Ibrahim & Assaad, Ragui & Elsayed, Ahmed, 2021. "Migration shocks and housing: Short-run impact of the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    8. Barros, Henrique Pita, 2025. "The power of dialogue: Forced displacement and social integration amid an Islamist insurgency in Mozambique," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    9. Jon Echevarria-Coco & Javier Gardeazabal, 2021. "A Spatial Model of Internal Displacement and Forced Migration," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 65(2-3), pages 591-618, February.
    10. Wolfgang Stojetz & Tilman Brück, 2024. "The Double Burden of Female Protracted Displacement: Survey Evidence on Gendered Livelihoods in El Fasher, Darfur," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(12), pages 1879-1906, December.
    11. Samia Badji, 2017. "Education In Extreme Environments, Does Mother's Education Still Matter?," Working Papers halshs-01468575, HAL.
    12. Alam, Ashraful & Dutta, Indranil & Haque, M. Emranul & Nogales, Ricardo, 2022. "Impact of Rohingya refugees on food prices in Bangladesh: Evidence from a natural experiment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    13. Özge Bilgili & Sonja Fransen & Craig Loschmann & Melissa Siegel, 2018. "Is the education of local children influenced by living nearby a refugee camp? Evidence from host communities in Rwanda," WIDER Working Paper Series 018, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Depetris-Chauvin, Emilio & Santos, Rafael J., 2018. "Unexpected guests: The impact of internal displacement inflows on rental prices in Colombian host cities," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 289-309.
    15. Wang, Shun & Zhou, Weina, 2017. "The Unintended Long-Term Consequences of Mao’s Mass Send-Down Movement: Marriage, Social Network, and Happiness," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 344-359.
    16. Dahab Aglan, 2025. "The Nationwide Camp Closure Policy in Iraq and the Welfare of Displaced Populations," HiCN Working Papers 443, Households in Conflict Network.
    17. Kreibaum, Merle, 2016. "Their Suffering, Our Burden? How Congolese Refugees Affect the Ugandan Population," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 262-287.
    18. Kadigo, Mark Marvin & Maystadt, Jean-Francois, 2023. "How to cope with a refugee population? Evidence from Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    19. Hoddinott, John F., 2011. "Agriculture, health, and nutrition: Towards conceptualizing the linkages," 2020 conference briefs 2, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    20. Dahab Aglan, 2025. "The Nationwide Camp Closure Policy in Iraq and the Welfare of Displaced Populations," Working Papers 1807, Economic Research Forum, revised 20 Dec 2025.
    21. Alhawarin, Ibrahim & Assaad, Ragui & Elsayed, Ahmed, 2020. "Migration Shocks and Housing: Short-Run Impact of the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan," IZA Discussion Papers 13969, IZA Network @ LISER.

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