Food Insecurity, Conflict, and Stability

November 16, 2015

Food insecurity is both a consequence and a cause of conflict, making it inexorably linked with political stability at regional, national, and international levels. Lack of access to affordable food has proven to trigger revolutions and spark unrest across the world. The first signs of the Arab Spring were riots in Algeria and Tunisia in 2011 over dramatic increases in the prices of dietary staples such as sugar, oil, and flour. The food-price crisis of 2007–2008 caused dozens of protests across the globe, serving as a wakeup call to the international community and the United States that investments in sustainable agricultural development are critical to political stability and national security.