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Addressing Food Insecurity in Fragile States; Case Studies from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and Sudan

Author

Listed:
  • Luca Alinovi

    (Agricultural and Development Economics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization)

  • Günter Hemrich

    (Agricultural and Development Economics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization)

  • Luca Russo

    (Agricultural and Development Economics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization)

Abstract

Drawing on case studies from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia and Sudan, this paper focuses on policy, programming and institutional issues related to addressing food insecurity in protracted crises and fragile states, with a focus on areas afflicted by conflicts. The case studies illustrate how dysfunctional institutions are at the root of structural food insecurity and show how local people and institutions have been able, to a certain extent, to adapt and cope with the crises. However, the protracted nature of the crises has substantially eroded people’s assets and weakened the capacities of traditional safety net systems to provide protection. Against this background, mainstream humanitarian assistance – which has been the international community’s dominant response – has not been able to address the basic determinants of food security and in particular has not sufficiently supported the positive efforts of local institutions. The case studies illustrate some innovative approaches for addressing food insecurity during protracted crises. They show that while it remains indispensable to ensure neutrality for immediate responses that protect the most vulnerable, it is also crucial to take into account institutional and policy dynamics that support processes to rebuild resilience; create opportunities for strengthening the livelihoods of affected population at the very early stages of the crisis; and develop an adequate basket of interventions to address a variety of needs.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca Alinovi & Günter Hemrich & Luca Russo, 2007. "Addressing Food Insecurity in Fragile States; Case Studies from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and Sudan," Working Papers 07-21, Agricultural and Development Economics Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - ESA).
  • Handle: RePEc:fao:wpaper:0721
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Catherine Ragasa & Thaddee Badibanga & John Ulimwengu, 2016. "Effectiveness and challenges of participatory governance: the case of agricultural and rural management councils in the Western Democratic Republic of the Congo," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(4), pages 827-854, August.
    2. Farrington, J., 2011. "Stabilizing and Improving Livelihoods in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations (FCAS) – the Search for Frameworks and Evidence," Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Economics, Sri Lanka Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA), vol. 12, pages 1-17.
    3. Eric Kiprotich Bett & David Michael Ayieko, 2017. "Economic potential for conversion to organic farming: a net present value analysis in the East Mau Catchment, Nakuru, Kenya," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1307-1325, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Food security; Institutions; Protracted crisis; Fragile states; Resilience; Livelihoods; Humanitarian assistance.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy
    • R20 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - General
    • R52 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Land Use and Other Regulations

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