Over 900 million people were suffering from hunger in 2010 and in December the United Nations basic food price index reached a new record. The resulting food insecurity is often of chronic nature but may be temporally increased due to events like draughts, floods or conflicts. To enable timely and adequate response it is important to identify and forecast the most urgent arising food security crises where extensive international aid is needed. For this purpose there exist several food security early warning systems. They track the status of food supply, food access, food utilization and food stability to monitor where a crisis is impending. While a wide range of production indicators covers the supply side, other pillars are lacking behind. Therefore new vulnerability and health indicators are developed for the integration into early warning systems.
This paper tries to draw attention to a partially neglected area in the intent to improve food security early warning systems - the link of food insecurity and conflict.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Definitions
- Food Security
- Mass Violent Conflict
- Food security and conflict
- Conflict as cause of food insecurity
- Food insecurity as cause of conflict
- Reaction to food insecurity during conflict
- Measuring of conflict and the integration into famine early warning systems
- Case study: The Eritrean-Ethiopian war 1998-2000
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze the relationship between food insecurity and conflict, focusing on the potential for integrating conflict analysis into food security early warning systems. This integration could improve the prediction and response to food security crises, especially those exacerbated by conflict.
- The impact of conflict on food security
- The role of food insecurity in driving conflict
- The importance of understanding coping mechanisms during wartime
- The integration of conflict analysis into early warning systems
- The implications of conflict for international relief efforts
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter establishes the context of the paper by outlining the prevalence of hunger worldwide and the importance of food security early warning systems. It highlights the need to consider the link between food insecurity and conflict in order to improve these systems.
- Definitions: This chapter provides definitions of food security and mass violent conflict, emphasizing the evolving understanding of food security and the complex interplay between social factors and conflict.
- Food security and conflict: This chapter explores the bidirectional relationship between food security and conflict, examining how conflict can lead to food insecurity and vice versa. It also discusses the diverse ways in which populations respond to food insecurity in conflict zones.
- Measuring of conflict and the integration into famine early warning systems: This chapter delves into methods for measuring conflict and integrating this information into famine early warning systems. It also examines the challenges associated with incorporating conflict analysis into these systems.
- Case study: The Eritrean-Ethiopian war 1998-2000: This chapter presents a case study of the Eritrean-Ethiopian war, illustrating how improved conflict analysis could have enhanced responses to food insecurity during the conflict.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the intersection of food security and conflict, exploring concepts such as food security early warning systems, conflict analysis, coping mechanisms, international relief, and the impact of conflict on development.
- Quote paper
- Robert Messerle (Author), 2011, Famine Early Warning Systems during Conflict, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/177973