UN food agencies launch peace video
“Make food not war” is the simple but effective message of a short video being released today on the Internet by the UN’s three food agencies – WFP, FAO and IFAD.  Launched to mark the International Day of Peace and to raise awareness of the impact that war has on food production and famine, the short video will be distributed to television broadcasters globally over the coming months.  

War and Food
Wars leave people without homes, food and the ability to work and live their lives as they choose. Farmers, in particular, are forced to leave their land or neglect their crops and livestock for fear of personal safety. As crops die off, or are taken by military forces, everyone in the community suffers and risk of famine grows.

The International Day of Peace recognizes the hardship and devastation created by war and encourages individuals, groups and communities around the world to contemplate and communicate thoughts and activities on how to achieve peace.

The fight for long-term peace
Over the past 25 years, there have been at least 80 wars around the world. While the places may vary, today’s violent conflicts have some striking similarities: almost all are civil wars and the majority of victims are civilians, not combatants.

Most of these internal conflicts have taken place in poor countries, impeding their development. In fact, more than half the countries where international development agencies currently operate are affected by war. Unfortunately, the majority of these conflicts are ongoing events, not temporary emergencies. Today’s average conflict lasts about eight years – twice as long as conflicts before 1980. And many more people are killed in conflicts by hunger and disease than by actual fighting.

Today’s civil wars are also far more likely to affect other countries. Not only does fighting frequently spill across borders and draw in foreign forces, but neighbouring countries often face the burden of contending with refugees, disease outbreaks and increased military presence. Civil wars disrupt trade, discourage investment and depress economic growth across entire regions – and heighten the risk that other countries will fall into civil war as well. Even distant, developed countries are affected by other countries’ conflicts since insecurity breeds a number of growing global problems, such as terrorism, HIV/AIDS and illegal arms and drug trafficking.

The nature of today’s conflicts underscores the urgent need to understand their causes and consequences – and develop new ways to handle them. Post-conflict reconstruction is not enough. Endemic instability demands more long-term solutions, and conflict prevention and management are essential parts of the equation.