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Conflict Mitigation through Food Security?
Dedo Geinitz, Ines Reinhard
Trincomalee, December 2000; update March 2001
20 years of civil war in the Northeast of Sri Lanka have resulted in an alarming degree of malnutrition and impoverishment. More than 60.000 people lost their lives, 700.000 people have been repeatedly displaced. Private houses, village infrastructure and the production base are largely destroyed. Food shortage, limited income sources and inadequate health and education services burden people in day-to-day life in addition to security restrictions and violation of human rights. In Trincomalee district about 80% of the population depends on state welfare.
The Integrated Food Security Programme Trincomalee (IFSP) supports people at food risk and affected by the conflict. Since August 1998 the programme has significantly contributed to food security and poverty alleviation through strategies which actively and intensively promote improved availability, access, use and utilisation of food. The contribution to conflict mitigation is relevant through the promotion of participation and encouragement of the conflict affected poor to contribute to development and well being of their livelihoods, thereby restoring hope and removing despair, finally aiming at enhanced local and regional stability. In general, IFSPs have the unique capacity to conceptually address malnutrition, conflict affectedness, poverty and social integration. The strategies and tools applied are tested and applicable to local and regional conditions. The promotion of participation, transparency and public auditing and support of adequate exit strategies aim at a certain degree of sustainability.
Limitations: IFSPs and development aid cannot replace political solutions. The capacity to advocate and to further conceptualise strategies for development need to be incorporated into the political dialogue.
For more information read or download the pdf wp 36 (72 KB) conflict mitigation report.
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