Global food security holds the key to sustainable peace

The world must make starvation history but war famines persist. Gaza is a glaring example. There are many others

- ARCHANA DATTA

Famine is now a reality in Gaza after Israel's 22-month war on the Palestinian territory, as confirmed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed agency. "Food has been used as a weapon," according to the UN's emergency relief and humanitarian affairs head, who pointed to "systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid deliveries." Separately, the UN's secretary general called the Gaza crisis "a man-made disaster." The IPC has sounded a famine alert multiple times, and every instance has been directly linked to an armed conflict.

The year 2024 witnessed a record number of armed conflicts since World War II and over 295 million people experienced acute hunger across 53 conflict-ravaged countries. The Global Report on Food Crises by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reveals that 2024 marked the sixth consecutive annual increase of people facing acute food insecurity, up 13.7 million from 2023. An immediate impact of conflict is on agriculture and food production, as it destroys crops, livestock and infrastructure, disrupting food supply chains. In an environment of uncertainty, resource scarcity and risk, farmers tend to shy away from long-term investment and shift towards quick-harvest crops that limit their income. This weakens prospects of agricultural development and economic stability.