Food insecurity and conflict dynamics - Causal linkages and Complex feedbacks

This paper addresses two related topics: 1) the circular link between food insecurity and conflict, and 2) the potential role of food security interventions in reducing the risk of violent conflicts. As the 2011 World Development Report notes, conflict comes in many forms. While the traditional security paradigm has focused attention on interstate and major civil wars, other forms of political violence – such as rioting, communal conflict, and violence linked to organized crime – can pose threats to human security and diminish government capacity to respond to protracted crises (World Bank 2011). While we eschew mono-causal explanations for conflict – parsing drivers of conflict is difficult, as most conflicts have multiple causes – acute food insecurity can be a motivation for popular mobilization and a risk multiplier. Moreover, violent conflict itself is a major driver of acute food insecurity.