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The Impact of Food Prices on Conflict Revisited

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  • Jasmien De Winne
  • Gert Peersman

Abstract

Studies that examine the impact of food prices on conflict usually assume that (all) changes in international food prices are exogenous shocks for individual countries or local areas. By isolating strictly exogenous shifts in global food commodity prices, we show that this assumption could seriously distort estimations of the impact on conflict in African regions. Specifically, we show that increases in food prices that are caused by harvest shocks outside Africa raise conflict significantly, whereas a “naive” regression of conflict on international food prices uncovers an inverse relationship. We also find that higher food prices lead to more conflict in regions with more agricultural production. Again, we document that failing to account for exogenous price changes exhibits a considerable bias in the impact. In addition, we show that the conventional approach to evaluate such effects; that is, estimations that include time fixed effects, ignores an important positive baseline effect that is common for all regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Jasmien De Winne & Gert Peersman, 2019. "The Impact of Food Prices on Conflict Revisited," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 19/979, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    • Handle: RePEc:rug:rugwps:19/979
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    2. Koppenberg, Maximilian & Mishra, Ashok K. & Hirsch, Stefan, 2023. "Food aid and violent conflict: A review and Empiricist’s companion," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
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    5. Justin Hastings & David Ubilava, 2023. "Agricultural Roots of Social Conflict in Southeast Asia," Papers 2304.10027, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2024.
    6. David Ubilava & Justin V. Hastings & Kadir Atalay, 2023. "Agricultural windfalls and the seasonality of political violence in Africa," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 105(5), pages 1309-1332, October.
    7. Boeckx, Jef & de Sola Perea, Maite & Peersman, Gert, 2020. "The transmission mechanism of credit support policies in the euro area," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    8. Francesco Amodio & Leonardo Baccini & Giorgio Chiovelli & Michele Di Maio, 2024. "Trade liberalization, economic activity and political violence in the Global South: evidence from PTAs," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 39(118), pages 275-322.
    9. Ciccarelli, Matteo & Marotta, Fulvia, 2021. "Demand or supply? An empirical exploration of the effects of climate change on the macroeconomy," Working Paper Series 2608, European Central Bank.
    10. Haroon Mumtaz & Fulvia Marotta, 2023. "Vulnerability to Climate Change: Evidence from a Dynamic Factor Model," Working Papers 961, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    11. Matteo Ciccarelli & Fulvia Marotta, 2021. "Demand or Supply? An empirical exploration of the effects of climate change on the macroeconomy," Working Papers 933, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    12. Yousef, Sahar, 2020. "Can Trade Liberalization in Agricultural Products Mitigate the Effect of Climate Change on Civil Strife?," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304609, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Shon Ferguson & David Ubilava, 2022. "Global commodity market disruption and the fallout," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(4), pages 737-752, October.
    14. Salisu, Afees A. & Gupta, Rangan & Nel, Jacobus & Bouri, Elie, 2022. "The (Asymmetric) effect of El Niño and La Niña on gold and silver prices in a GVAR model," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    15. Jasmien De Winne & Gert Peersman, 2021. "The adverse consequences of global harvest and weather disruptions on economic activity," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 11(8), pages 665-672, August.
    16. Tingting Li, 2022. "Planting Structure Adjustment and Layout Optimization of Feed Grain and Food Grain in China Based on Productive Potentials," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. Lars Ludolph & Barbora Šedová, 2021. "Global food prices, local weather and migration in Sub-Saharan Africa," CEPA Discussion Papers 26, Center for Economic Policy Analysis.
    18. Ludolph, Lars & Sedova, Barbora, 2021. "Global food prices, local weather and migration in Sub-Saharan Africa," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242334, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    19. Koppenberg, Maximilian & Mishra, Ashok K. & Hirsch, Stefan, 2023. "Food Aid and Violent Conflict: A Review of Literature," IZA Discussion Papers 16574, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Ciccarelli, Matteo & Marotta, Fulvia, 2024. "Demand or Supply? An empirical exploration of the effects of climate change on the macroeconomy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    conflict; food prices; instrumental variables;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • F44 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Business Cycles
    • Q11 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis; Prices
    • Q34 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Natural Resources and Domestic and International Conflicts

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