Negotiating a new global treaty. Given Resolution 2417’s lack of accountability and enforcement, some experts propose creating a new international treaty that explicitly outlaws the weaponization of food. Such an agreement could define prohibited acts and establish clearer enforcement mechanisms to address violations, helping protect food production and distribution systems during periods of conflict. However, while treaties are difficult to negotiate and ratify given states’ often competing interests, experts say every country has a vested interest in banning food weaponization—including because it poses an economic and security threat to them.
Still, efforts to create a new treaty would likely face considerable opposition, including in the United States, where the Trump administration has largely favored unilateral action and expressed skepticism toward international institutions and treaty-based frameworks. Given this, it is unlikely the Trump administration would support such a treaty. Even so, consideration of a new treaty could still help raise awareness of the risks of food weaponization, and experts say legal agreements—even if not binding—will remain important going forward.
Integrating food security into national security planning. Most governments still treat food security solely as a humanitarian issue, but experts say it should also be incorporated into defense and strategic planning. To better address the problem, it “needs to be factored into strategic assessments and national security assessments,” said Michael Werz, a senior fellow at CFR who focuses on the nexus of food security, climate change, migration, and emerging countries.
Treating food security as a national security concern would allow countries to integrate it into their broader planning, including by safeguarding aid corridors and allocating more funding and resources through their defense budgets. Doing so, Veeravalli said, would enable states to practice “forward defense” and be more proactive in addressing food crises before they escalate.
At its core, preventing food weaponization is a matter of both will and capacity. “Looking forward, there are really no easy answers,” said CFR’s Vigersky. “Hunger continues to grow year over year, and conflict continues to be the main driver. This problem is obviously not going away. What we need, more than just funding for humanitarian programs, is the political will to do something about this.”
Recommended Resources
Three CFR experts explore how food is being weaponized in conflicts around the world—and how that weaponization is evolving, shaped by technology, globalization, and the politics of power.
For Foreign Affairs, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation Alex de Waal unpacks how starvation is again being wielded as a weapon, fueled by the collapse of global norms.
The Munich Security Conference’s Amadée Mudie-Mantz and CFR’s Michael Werz explain the three main methods of food weaponization and how they’re manifesting in global conflicts.
The UN Security Council announces the unanimous adoption of Resolution 2417, condemning the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.
CFR’s Center for Preventive Action’s Global Conflict Tracker takes stock of major armed conflicts globally, especially in places that pose the greatest risk to U.S. interests.
Data Sources
Video of the destroyed aid convoy is from the Darfur Victims Support Organization.
Satellite imagery is from Planet Labs PBC and Vantor. Map satellite tiles are from Earthstar Geographics, Vantor, and the GIS User Community, powered by Esri.
Attacked communities near El Fasher, Sudan, were sourced from an analysis conducted by the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab.
Days of Gaza crossing closures are based on the volume of incoming supplies from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA).
Shipping traffic near Yemen is from GlobalMaritimeTraffic.org.
Food insecurity data by country is from the Global Network Against Food Crises via Humanitarian Data Exchange.
UN Resolution 2417 white notes and papers were sourced from Security Council Report.
Damaged grain facility locations in Ukraine are from an analysis [PDF] conducted by the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab and have been slightly randomized for security reasons.
Wheat price data is from the International Grains Council.
Wheat export data is from UN Comtrade.
U.S. humanitarian funding data is from UN OCHA.
