Publication: Food Security and Conflict
Loading...
Files in English
5,145 downloads
Published
2011-10-22
ISSN
Date
2012-06-26
Editor(s)
Abstract
Finds that food insecurity has clearly contributed to outbreaks of social unrest or worse, while conflict has induced situations of food insecurity. The factors of population growth, competitive pressure on land and water use, climate change, and price volatility tend to increase stress, raising the risk of civil unrest or conflict. The most fragile countries often have the least capability to respond, falling victim to the vicious circle of conflict and food insecurity. Food aid, including insurance options for agricultural commodities, limits immediate food insecurity impacts of conflict and continues to alleviate even greater harm to innocent people. Such aid can also assist in better transition to longer-term agricultural productivity growth and local market development, especially in rural areas that tend to be poorer; however, it is not possible to significantly reduce conflict on a sustained basis without significant new investment and partnerships in key areas of agriculture and rural development.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Bora, Saswati; Ceccacci, Iride; Delgado, Christopher; Townsend, Robert. 2011. Food Security and Conflict. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/9107 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Improving Security in Violent Conflict Settings : Security and Justice Thematic Paper(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2011)Acknowledges that security--both physical security and national security--needs to be addressed in contexts ranging from pre-conflict, conflict, to post-conflict, and in both national and local units. Solutions to stemming violence do not follow linear or sequential implementation. Capacity building requires security sector reform, peacebuilding, parliamentary oversight, civil society involvement, financial management, and transitional justice measures. The return of counterinsurgencies in rogue states or rebellions of secessionist movements has focused aid donors on the legitimacy of such groups. In countries like Colombia where disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programs were left incomplete, gang violence has escalated, and in countries like El Salvador violence has mutated across generations into transnational gangs. DDR, a popular set of activities to fund, has the potential to achieve security objectives and social welfare, but requires confidence in the government, community acceptance, a sufficiently strong economy, integration of ex-combatants into new armed forces or national service corps, and community involvement.Publication Food Insecurity and Conflict : Applying the WDR Framework(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-08-02)Delineates the link between food insecurity and conflict, addressing both traditional (civil and interstate war) and emerging (regime stability, violent rioting, and communal conflict) threats to security and political stability. National governments, intergovernmental organizations, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) all work to address food insecurity and break the vicious cycle between food insecurity and instability. Increased food prices, especially in 2007-08 due to biofuel and energy prices and demand outpacing supply, lead to heightened tensions and enhance fragility. Food assistance and rebuilding social capital along with institutional reform that supports market development allows communities to develop social cohesion. Regional and global reserves, international support, and food transfers all contribute to solutions but all have negative factors as well as positive, especially because none of them can stabilize food prices and adequately address climate change effects. During transition and peacebuilding phases, food assistance plays a critical role and should not be phased out too quickly.Publication Food Security and Storage in the Middle East and North Africa(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-04)In times of highly volatile commodity markets, governments often try to protect their populations from rapidly-rising food prices, which can be particularly harsh for the poor. A potential solution for food-deficit countries is to hold strategic reserves, which can be called on when international prices spike. But how large should strategic stockpiles be? This paper develops a dynamic storage model for wheat in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where imported wheat dominates the average diet. The paper uses the model to analyze a strategy that sets aside wheat stockpiles, which can be used when needed to keep domestic prices below a targeted price. This paper shows that if the target is set high and reserves are adequate, the strategy can be effective and robust. Contrary to most interventions, strategic storage policies are counter-cyclical and, when the importing region is sufficiently large, a regional policy can smooth global prices. This paper shows that this is the case for the MENA region. Nevertheless, the policy is more costly than the pro-cyclical policy of a targeted intervention that directly offsets high prices with a subsidy similar to food stamps.Publication Public Security, Criminal Justice, and Reforming the Security Sector : Security and Justice Thematic Paper(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2011)Discusses prioritization of governance, the rule of law, and security sector reform (SSR). A policy framework identifies the specific characteristics of post-conflict operations, with emphasis on the need to rebuild trust between the state and its people. Demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration (DDR) programs provide an effective transition strategy, but when their main thrust is to create civilian jobs, results have usually been disappointing.The security sector reform (SSR) supplies support needed for the success of DDR programs, because the legitimacy of a reformed security sector means that the security forces reflect the whole country and contributes to building confidence.The implications for the rule of law and criminal justice point to the need for transparent processes, including quasi-judiciary mechanisms, such as truth and reconciliation commissions.Examples are drawn from Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where SSR efforts have been extensive and are ongoing, as well as from Afghanistan, Bosnia, East Timor, Rwanda, Sudan, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.Publication Transitional Justice, Security, and Development : Security and Justice Thematic Paper(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2011)Studies "transitional justice" which means measures that redress the legacies of massive serious crimes under international law. The core elements that minimally belong in a transitional justice policy include: prosecutions, truth-telling measures, reparations for victims, memorialization efforts, local justice initiatives, and some initiatives tending toward institutional reform, particularly the vetting of security sector personnel. Contrary to misconceptions, particularly on the part of non-experts, transitional justice is neither past-oriented, nor of concern to victims alone; rather, to the extent that it achieves any of its goals, it does so in virtue of its potential to affirm general but basic norms-therein its potential contributions to both security and development. The perception that transitional justice measures hamper development and reconstruction, or that transitional justice is not urgent in the aftermath of the cessation of conflict, is false. The WDR fails to emphasize four areas that deserve recognition of their roles: (1) democracy and the rule of law; (2) confidence-building and legitimacy; (3) trust; and (4) the limits of institutional reform.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Commodity Markets Outlook, April 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-04-29)Commodity prices are set to fall sharply this year, by about 12 percent overall, as weakening global economic growth weighs on demand. In 2026, commodity prices are projected to reach a six-year low. Oil prices are expected to exert substantial downward pressure on the aggregate commodity index in 2025, as a marked slowdown in global oil consumption coincides with expanding supply. The anticipated commodity price softening is broad-based, however, with more than half of the commodities in the forecast set to decrease this year, many by more than 10 percent. The latest shocks to hit commodity markets extend a so far tumultuous decade, marked by the highest level of commodity price volatility in at least half a century. Between 2020 and 2024, commodity price swings were frequent and sharp, with knock-on consequences for economic activity and inflation. In the next two years, commodity prices are expected to put downward pressure on global inflation. Risks to the commodity price projections are tilted to the downside. A sharper-than-expected slowdown in global growth—driven by worsening trade relations or a prolonged tightening of financial conditions—could further depress commodity demand, especially for industrial products. In addition, if OPEC+ fully unwinds its voluntary supply cuts, oil production will far exceed projected consumption. There are also important upside risks to commodity prices—for instance, if geopolitical tensions worsen, threatening oil and gas supplies, or if extreme weather events lead to agricultural and energy price spikes.Publication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16)Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.Publication Global Economic Prospects, June 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-10)The global economy is facing another substantial headwind, emanating largely from an increase in trade tensions and heightened global policy uncertainty. For emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), the ability to boost job creation and reduce extreme poverty has declined. Key downside risks include a further escalation of trade barriers and continued policy uncertainty. These challenges are exacerbated by subdued foreign direct investment into EMDEs. Global cooperation is needed to restore a more stable international trade environment and scale up support for vulnerable countries grappling with conflict, debt burdens, and climate change. Domestic policy action is also critical to contain inflation risks and strengthen fiscal resilience. To accelerate job creation and long-term growth, structural reforms must focus on raising institutional quality, attracting private investment, and strengthening human capital and labor markets. Countries in fragile and conflict situations face daunting development challenges that will require tailored domestic policy reforms and well-coordinated multilateral support.Publication Digital Africa(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-03-13)All African countries need better and more jobs for their growing populations. "Digital Africa: Technological Transformation for Jobs" shows that broader use of productivity-enhancing, digital technologies by enterprises and households is imperative to generate such jobs, including for lower-skilled people. At the same time, it can support not only countries’ short-term objective of postpandemic economic recovery but also their vision of economic transformation with more inclusive growth. These outcomes are not automatic, however. Mobile internet availability has increased throughout the continent in recent years, but Africa’s uptake gap is the highest in the world. Areas with at least 3G mobile internet service now cover 84 percent of Africa’s population, but only 22 percent uses such services. And the average African business lags in the use of smartphones and computers as well as more sophisticated digital technologies that catalyze further productivity gains. Two issues explain the usage gap: affordability of these new technologies and willingness to use them. For the 40 percent of Africans below the extreme poverty line, mobile data plans alone would cost one-third of their incomes—in addition to the price of access devices, apps, and electricity. Data plans for small- and medium-size businesses are also more expensive than in other regions. Moreover, shortcomings in the quality of internet services—and in the supply of attractive, skills-appropriate apps that promote entrepreneurship and raise earnings—dampen people’s willingness to use them. For those countries already using these technologies, the development payoffs are significant. New empirical studies for this report add to the rapidly growing evidence that mobile internet availability directly raises enterprise productivity, increases jobs, and reduces poverty throughout Africa. To realize these and other benefits more widely, Africa’s countries must implement complementary and mutually reinforcing policies to strengthen both consumers’ ability to pay and willingness to use digital technologies. These interventions must prioritize productive use to generate large numbers of inclusive jobs in a region poised to benefit from a massive, youthful workforce—one projected to become the world’s largest by the end of this century.