High food prices have consistently forced families to adopt a myriad of coping strategies to meet
their food needs. A comprehensive understanding of the nature and diversity of such strategies,
the relative effectiveness of different strategies, and the factors that determine the choice of
various strategies by different vulnerable groups is of prime importance in designing and
implementing appropriate policies and programs on vulnerable groups. The objectives of this
study are to assess: (i) the resource profile of the vulnerable households in Kandy district in Sri
Lanka, (ii) food consumption pattern of the households, (iii) the coping strategies adopted by the
households during the times of food price hikes, (iv) the usefulness and effectiveness of coping
strategies adopted by the household, and (v) the factors that influence the decisions made by
households to change their food consumption patterns in crisis situations. A primary survey was
conducted with randomly selected samples of 160, 148 and 147 poor households in GangawataKoralaya,
Harispattuwa and Doluwa which represent to urban, rural and estate sectors in Kandy
district respectively using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive
statistics and multi-nomial logit analysis where appropriate. The results show that a variety of
strategies have been used by the poor households to cope up food price hikes. Cutting down of
consumption of non-food items, borrowings from the informal markets and increased
dependence on friends and families are the commonly used strategies that were perceived to be
useful by the households. Curtailing of food consumption has been observed, in varying degrees
in different sectors and for different food items. Reductions in frequency of consumption and
portion size were noted particularly in urban and estate sectors for imported food items and
substitution to local products, such as jack fruit, bread fruit and yams have been noted. These
findings imply that the development practitioners should pay a closer attention to the sociocultural
contexts when dealing with crises situations. The need for well articulated trade policies
on imported food items, in particular wheat, sprat, soya, dhal, edible oil and milk, on which the
households spends a larger share of expenditure, is highlighted.