From 2010-2012, more than 250,000 people were killed in Somalia and millions displaced from their homes after a drought-induced famine hit the country. Donors from all parts of the world sent food aid to the famine-stricken country, but the main armed opposition to the government, Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, blocked the donations from reaching their intended beneficiaries. At one point, the militant group raided a United Nations Children’s Fund, causing the organization to freeze their work.  

The food insecurity brought out by the famine led to a decline in support for Al-Shabaab, after they were accused of stealing food aid from the communities they controlled. This setback decreased the militant group’s power and helped end the deadly attacks, such as bombing, they carried out to gain control of territory. In the case of Somalia, the severe food insecurity decreased the chance of conflict continuing, as people withdrew their support for militants. But is this true in all cases? Can food insecurity be a mitigator of violence? Or can food insecurity fuel violent conflicts, or vice-versa? 

A 2013 study, released by Stability: International Journal of Security and Development, found that food insecurity is almost always a cause of violent conflicts, but the link between food security and conflict is more complex and varies depending on the political, economic, and social factors. 

According to the researchers, the civil conflict experienced in Somalia is one of three main types of violent conflicts. The other two include urban unrest and communal conflict, which is when two communities fight against each other without directly involving the state. For example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lack of land and water led pastoralists and farmers to compete for the same resources and access to food. Approximately 11,000 people died from both sides in massacres between 1999 and 2003. Violence in this region continues to take place today. So how was food insecurity able to decline Al-Shabaab’s power and violence in Somalia? Why isn’t this the case in the Congo?

 Interestingly, the authors found that food insecurity alone does not drive food related conflicts. In the Congo, pastoralists and farmers come from different ethnic groups that have been fighting since colonial times. 

The relationship between food security and violent conflicts is important in urban settings too. Following the 2007-08 global food price crisis, higher food prices led to an increase in urban riots. In one case, 5 people were killed in a market riot. Responses to urban riots varied depending on the type of political institution. Democratic governments applied interventions that directly targeted affected households, using food-for-work and food stamp programs. These programs help the poorest and most vulnerable households. 

In contrast, one-party autocracies, favored export bans, price controls, and consumer subsidies that largely favor “better-off consumers.” Autocracies cater to “better-off consumers,” who tend to be wealthier, urban residents, to maintain the strength of their political institution. Interestingly, this creates a reliance on the government to stabilize prices, but often these strategies strain government finances. Once the government is no longer able to provide financial help, it causes urban riots to break out and perpetuates a cycle of food insecurity and violent conflicts that are not addressed. 

The study also includes policies to address food insecurity and violent conflicts. The researchers propose a peacebuilding approach to help bring peace in post-conflict affected regions. In the Sahel, countries have school-feeding and community involvement programs that not only deliver food quickly to stricken areas, but it also promotes education in times of conflict. This program can create stability for children and prevent them from joining armed groups, while also rebuilding trust among communities. The study also suggests that food security interventions can support political institutions. In Nepal, for example, a nation-wide food security monitoring system has helped the government reduce food insecurity and has improved its relationship with Nepalese citizens by addressing inequalities among ethnic groups. 

Food insecurity is a threat to instability, but its relationship to violent conflict must be understood in context. Not all food insecurity problems are created equally, but the peace-building approach provides an inclusive, long-term change process that can help build resilience to economic and political stresses in conflict-affected countries. In the case of Somalia, the peace-building approach can reduce the risk of violent conflicts from reoccurring by creating institutions that can properly manage disputes and that invest in food security programs.