Securitising Food: Hunger As a Defence Requirement

From the war in Ukraine to impending famine in Gaza to pastoralist violence in West Africa, food insecurity is increasingly recognised as a “threat multiplier” and core national security challenge.

The article by Siena Cicarelli at page 29 of the Defence Forces Review 2024 assesses the risks and challenges related to a securitised food system, the implications for military operators, and how actors in the U.S. and Europe—including the Irish Defence Forces—can better respond to the national security implications of hunger.