Food First: Why Hunger Trumps Security in Global Crises

Published in Food and Wine on Sunday, August 10th 2025 at 6:41 GMT by Los Angeles Times Opinion
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Starvation in Gaza today summons up my grandmother's stories of how her family starved to death in the Warsaw ghetto. No one should meet that fate, in wartime or after.

Food Over Security: A Contributor's Perspective on Global Priorities

In an era defined by geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and environmental challenges, the age-old debate between basic human needs and broader security concerns takes center stage. As a contributor with years of experience reporting on international affairs, I've witnessed firsthand how communities around the world often place food security above traditional notions of national or personal security. This isn't just a matter of survival; it's a profound reflection of human priorities when push comes to shove. In this piece, I'll explore why food often trumps security in the hierarchy of needs, drawing from real-world examples, expert insights, and historical precedents to argue that addressing hunger could be the key to unlocking lasting peace and stability.

Let's start with the basics. Food security, as defined by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. It's not merely about calories; it's about dignity, health, and the ability to thrive. On the other hand, security encompasses a wide range—from military defense and border protection to cybersecurity and economic safeguards. Yet, when resources are scarce, as they often are in conflict zones or impoverished regions, people invariably choose sustenance over safeguards. Why? Because without food, there is no life to secure.

Consider the ongoing crises in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, where drought, climate change, and political instability have created a perfect storm. In countries such as Ethiopia and Somalia, millions face famine not just because of natural disasters, but due to prolonged conflicts that disrupt supply chains. Reports from organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) highlight how farmers in these areas abandon fortified homes and migrate en masse to areas with better access to aid, even if it means crossing into more dangerous territories. One farmer I interviewed in the Tigray region of Ethiopia put it starkly: "A gun might protect me from an enemy, but it won't fill my children's bellies." This sentiment echoes Maslow's hierarchy of needs, where physiological requirements like food come before safety.

Historically, this prioritization has shaped major events. During World War II, food rationing in Europe led to black markets and social unrest that sometimes overshadowed the war effort itself. In the Soviet Union under Stalin, forced collectivization aimed at bolstering state security through agricultural control, but it resulted in the Holodomor famine, which killed millions and weakened the very regime it was meant to strengthen. Fast-forward to modern times: the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 were ignited not just by political oppression, but by skyrocketing food prices. In Tunisia, Egypt, and beyond, protesters chanted for "bread, freedom, and social justice," underscoring how food insecurity can topple governments more effectively than military threats.

Experts in international development agree that food security is intertwined with, yet often superior to, traditional security measures. Dr. Amartya Sen, the Nobel laureate economist, famously argued in his work "Poverty and Famines" that hunger is rarely caused by absolute food shortages but by failures in distribution and access—issues exacerbated by insecurity but not defined by it. Sen's entitlement theory posits that people starve when they lack the economic or social means to obtain food, even if it's available nearby. This perspective shifts the focus from building walls or armies to ensuring equitable resource allocation. In a 2022 report by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), researchers noted that investments in agriculture yield far higher returns in terms of stability than equivalent spending on defense. For instance, in South Asia, programs like India's Public Distribution System have prevented widespread unrest by subsidizing grains, even amid border tensions with neighbors.

But what about the counterarguments? Critics might say that without security, food systems collapse entirely—think of how piracy in the Gulf of Aden disrupts shipping lanes for grain exports, or how insurgent groups in Syria control farmland to fund their operations. These are valid points, yet they overlook the resilience of human ingenuity in the face of adversity. Community-led initiatives, such as urban farming in war-torn Yemen or seed banks in Afghanistan, demonstrate how locals bypass formal security structures to ensure food access. In Yemen, where the civil war has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, women-led cooperatives have smuggled seeds across frontlines, prioritizing crop cultivation over personal safety. These efforts not only feed families but also foster informal truces, as warring factions recognize the mutual benefit of allowing food production to continue.

On a global scale, the climate crisis amplifies this dynamic. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are projected to reduce crop yields by up to 25% in some regions by 2050, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This impending food scarcity could trigger mass migrations, resource wars, and social breakdowns that no amount of military spending can prevent. Take the case of Central America: In the "Dry Corridor" stretching from Guatemala to Nicaragua, prolonged droughts have forced farmers to choose between staying in insecure villages with dwindling harvests or migrating north toward the United States, braving cartel violence and border patrols. Here, food insecurity drives insecurity, not the other way around. Policymakers in wealthier nations, like those in the European Union, are beginning to recognize this. The EU's Farm to Fork Strategy, part of the Green Deal, aims to make food systems sustainable and resilient, acknowledging that bolstering agriculture abroad reduces migration pressures and enhances global security.

From a personal security standpoint, the choice is even more intimate. In urban settings worldwide, from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to the slums of Mumbai, residents often forgo basic safety measures—like avoiding gang territories—to access affordable markets or community kitchens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this was starkly evident: Lockdowns intended to secure public health led to food shortages that sparked riots in places like South Africa and Colombia. People risked infection and violence to queue for rations, proving that hunger overrides fear.

So, what can be done? First, international aid must pivot from reactive humanitarian relief to proactive investments in sustainable agriculture. Initiatives like the African Union's Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) show promise by committing 10% of national budgets to farming, which has boosted yields and reduced conflict in pilot areas. Second, integrating food security into security dialogues—such as at the United Nations Security Council—could prevent famines from escalating into wars. Finally, on an individual level, supporting fair-trade practices and reducing food waste in developed countries can alleviate global pressures.

In conclusion, while security is undeniably crucial, food is foundational. As we've seen across continents and centuries, when people are hungry, no fortress holds, and no alliance endures. By elevating food security in our global agenda, we not only feed the world but also build a more secure one. It's time to rethink our priorities: food over security isn't a choice; it's a necessity for humanity's future. This perspective, drawn from on-the-ground observations and data-driven analysis, calls for urgent action before the scales tip irreversibly.

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Food First: Why Hunger Trumps Security in Global Crises

Food Over Security: A Contributor's Perspective on Global Priorities