Food as a Pathway to Peace: COVID, Climate, and the Hunger-Conflict Nexus

Sep 28, 2021 | Shruti Samala
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Food insecurity, as outlined in the 2021 ISD report, Peace Through Food: Ending the Hunger-Instability Nexus, cuts across multiple crises the world is facing today, including COVID-19 and climate change. In 2020 alone, the number of food insecure people increased by an estimated 318 million people, a rise driven largely by breakdown of supply chains and resulting food price hikes during the pandemic, said McFarland. Moreover, conflict and food insecurity often transpire in a vicious feedback loop, with conflict leading to increased food deprivation, which then fuels further conflict over depleted resources. Predictions show that climate impacts, like extreme weather, frequent flooding and drought, and changing precipitation patterns, will likely trigger a dramatic uptick in global hunger numbers, as well.