The paper shows how violent conflicts bred hunger and reduced food production and economic growth in 47 developing countries during 1970-90. In 1996, armed hostilities mostly civil wars and their aftermath left 80 million people, including 50 million refugees and other uprooted people, at risk of hunger and dependent on humanitarian assistance. The authors note that conflict destroys land, water, infrastructure, and biological and social resources for agriculture and human development, while military expenditures lower investments in health, education, and environmental protection. Since 1970, wars have taken a million lives annually, mainly civilians.
Conflict zones are resource poor, and once fighting ends, they face enormous reconstruction burdens.
The authors emphasize that food insecurity and natural resource scarcities real and perceived are major causes as well as consequences of conflict. The paper presents research findings on conflict and declining per capita food production in Sub-Saharan Africa since 1970. Data are limited but show an average 12.4 percent drop in annual food production per capita in conflict countries. In Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Sudan, food crises due to natural disasters and relief and development mismanagement led to government collapse, followed by even greater shortfalls in ensuing war years. In the 1990s, peace would have added 3.9 to 5.3 percent to African per capita food production.