Food Security Dynamics in Conflict Situations
Summary
Conflict settings disrupt the fundamental pillars of food security – availability, access, utilisation and stability – through violence, displacement and destruction of infrastructure. Hostilities sever supply chains, fragment markets and inflate prices, while restrictions on movement and destruction of agricultural assets erode livelihoods and reduce dietary diversity. Conflict-induced shocks can trigger a vicious cycle whereby food insecurity fuels grievances and heightens the risk of renewed violence. Yet households and communities deploy adaptive strategies, such as livelihood diversification, informal trade networks and social safety nets, to bolster resilience. Effective interventions blend humanitarian relief with peace-sensitive agricultural development, safeguard market corridors and support conflict-aware planning to restore food systems and foster long-term stability.
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Food Security Dynamics in Conflict Situations publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in food security dynamics in conflict situations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Food consumption score (FCS): A composite indicator combining dietary diversity, frequency and relative nutritional importance of food groups over a recall period.
Animal-source foods (ASF): Nutrient-dense foods derived from animals, such as meat, milk and eggs, critical for protein and micronutrient intake.
Adaptive capacity: The ability of households or communities to adjust livelihoods and resource use in response to conflict-induced shocks.
Spillover effect: The indirect influence of conflict events in one locality on food security outcomes in neighbouring or connected areas due to market or population movements.
References
- Livestock diversification mitigates the impact of farmer-herder conflicts on animal-source foods consumption in Nigeria. Food Policy (2024).
- Spillover effect of violent conflicts on food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Policy (2023).
- The impact of conflict on food security: evidence from household data in Ethiopia and Malawi. Agriculture & Food Security (2023).
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