IFAD Chief flags food systems as security concern at Munich Conference

GERMANY – As leaders meet at the Munich Security Conference from 13 to 15 February, the International Fund for Agricultural Development has urged governments and investors to treat food security as a core security issue.

Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD, warned that weak food systems fuel conflict and displacement. “Fragile food systems pose an underestimated risk to global stability,” he said. He stressed that leaders must give land and water the same weight as strategic minerals.

“Access to productive land and reliable freshwater must be prioritized. Land and water deserve as much attention as rare minerals, if not more, as they are key to global stability,” Lario added.

Nearly 80 percent of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas. Many face climate shocks, low farm output and limited jobs. These pressures often raise tensions and push people to migrate.

Lario said stronger rural economies reduce that risk. “When rural communities have access to productive land and water, food security improves, conflicts over resources decrease and economic opportunities arise,” he noted.

IFAD works with governments, UN agencies and private firms to link food investment with wider security goals. For close to 50 years, the Fund has backed farmers and rural businesses at the first stage of food production. It aims to help communities withstand shocks before they turn into crises.

Returns on investment

IFAD reports that for every US$1 in core funding, it mobilizes US$6 in related investments. The Fund says this approach draws in public and private finance and helps rural areas attract long term capital.

A recent three year review found that people who joined IFAD backed projects increased their income, output and market access by more than one third. The study linked these gains to lower risks of violence and forced migration.

Data from specific countries show similar trends. In Mali, districts without IFAD farm programs saw local conflicts rise by 8 percent compared to those with support. In Ethiopia, a 1 percent rise in land productivity linked to a 3 percent drop in local conflicts.

IFAD estimates that 70 percent of people facing acute food insecurity live in fragile or conflict hit areas. Armed conflict has nearly doubled since 2019. For 44 percent of those facing acute hunger, conflict or insecurity drives their situation.

Lario urged leaders in Munich to act. He said steady support for small farmers and rural firms can strengthen stability and reduce global risk.

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