Work

The impacts of violent conflict on smallholder agriculture: A scoping review

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Violent conflict poses a significant threat to smallholder agriculture globally, undermining food security, livelihoods, and rural development, yet a robust synthesis of its specific impacts remains elusive. This scoping review addresses this gap, asking: How do the impacts of distinct violent conflict types and dynamics vary within and across different smallholder agriculture systems? The review is based on a comprehensive search of Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed for the period 2000-2024, for which 85 studies met inclusion criteria. We come to four key findings: First, specific types and dynamics of violent conflict are relatively rarely analysed in depth, although there is more focus on civil conflicts than other types, and reasonably strong evidence that violent conflicts in which food systems and resources are targeted have particularly detrimental effects on smallholder agriculture. Second, production systems are most vulnerable to violent conflict when characterised by a high level of reliance on monoculture, external inputs, insecure land tenure and limited access to water and associated infrastructure, although reliance on long-standing practices that have traditionally been more diverse poses risks in highly dynamic and rapidly changing conflict environments. Third, we find contradictory evidence on commercialisation’s role, with broad consensus that highly market-dependent models are particularly vulnerable, but a lack of clarity on which levels of commercialisation are desirable. Finally, a complex picture emerges in relation to household characteristics, whereby some features – such as limited labour resources – are widely considered to render households more vulnerable, while other research emphasises smallholders’ agency, highlighting how adaptability through diversified incomes or shifts in production strategies can mitigate risk factors. We synthesise these findings and their implications for future research, policy and practice.

Source: Journal of Agriculture and Food Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103205

Authors: Olutosin Ademola Otekunrin, Caitriona Dowd, Irene Isele Anetor, Adegbenga Emmanuel Adekoya

Institutions: University of Ibadan, University of the Free State, Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji, University College Dublin

Language: English

Topic: Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,530