Forced Displacement and Agriculture: Implications for Host Communities

Justin George,Adesoji Adelaja

doi:10.3390/su13105728

Abstract

The disruptive effects of conflict and climate-related shocks and their tendencies to cause human population displacements are well documented in the literature. Given the growing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) worldwide and the resulting population and service demand overload in host communities, it is important to understand the socioeconomic impacts. Because many host communities in developing countries are agriculture dependent, we investigate what happens to key agricultural sector outcomes in host communities when there is an influx of IDPs. For displacements caused by insurgency, communal clashes, and natural disasters, we estimate the impacts on agricultural outputs, employment, wages, and land use. We find that forced displacements generally result in reduced agricultural production due to lower land and labor productivity. Specifically, while the effect of insurgency-driven IDP influx is negative, it is positive for communal violence. Cassava, potatoes, and soya are particularly hard hit. Additionally, while insurgency-driven population influx reduces the agricultural wages of both males and females, it increases the reliance on male and female household labor but has no effect on hired labor. Finally, while insurgency-driven IDP influx does not affect land use and land market activities, it lowers the expected value of land and the number of farm plots harvested. We highlight the opportunity to leverage humanitarian assistance in building local agricultural capacity in host communities.

Highlights

According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of forcibly displaced persons globally continues to rise, surpassing 80 million in the year 2020 [1]
We focus on household impacts since data at the household level is readily available and internally displaced persons (IDPs) influx can be measured at the level of the community in which each household resides
A general conclusion that could be drawn from such studies is that these shocks disrupt agriculture, markets and trade, compromise food security, rollback past development achievements, contribute to poverty and human suffering, and challenge key institutional arrangements that are critical to growth, development, and sustainability

Summary

Introduction

According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of forcibly displaced persons globally continues to rise, surpassing 80 million in the year 2020 [1]. Some 46 million of these (58 percent) were internally displaced persons (IDPs), the vast majority of whom will not return home due to ongoing conflicts or near permanent devastations from natural disasters [1,2]. Despite the deployment of humanitarian assistance to host communities, this inter-place reshuffling of population and demand for services often overwhelms such communities and governments must grapple with how to stabilize both the IDP population and long-term residents of host communities. The influx of IDPs present a host community with a number of challenges. They often need assistance from public and private humanitarian agencies [4]. The demand for jobs, housing, healthcare, education, and other services and pressures on public utilities

Methods

Results

Conclusion