Food Security and Complex Political Emergencies in Africa

 On often already quite precarious food security situations, long lasting complex crises have a devastating effect. The degradation of the State-related functions, including health, education, economic services as well as law and order mechanism aggravated by the destruction, ethnically motivated massacres, economic isolation makes survival rather precarious for large segments of the African population. Yet, a remarkable resilience and an incredible capacity to adapt and adjust proved to be keys to not only the mere survival of the groups but also interesting entry points for future rehabilitation efforts. Indeed, the recovery of these war-torn societies can hardly be based on the current practices of humanitarian agencies, even less if these efforts are based on preconceived “universal technical standards”. Only a through analysis of these survival strategies, a diagnosis encompassing not only physiological needs but also ongoing local coping mechanisms and innovative capacities can alleviate sufferings and pave the way to “a restored and reinforced food security”, the first stone of a societal recovery.