The Right to Food: An Essential Provision in Peace Accords

Policy Brief No. 10 Countries affected by armed conflict are more likely to suffer negative impacts to food security, nutrition, socio-economic progress, and are at greater risk of human-induced famines. Because of this, peace negotiations, peace accords, and interventions often include provisions for food aid, humanitarian assistance, and food security. In 2016, the Colombian government and rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) signed the Final Accord to End the Armed Conflict and Build a Stable and Lasting Peace. The first chapter of the agreement, focused on Comprehensive Rural Reform (CRR), incorporated the right to food as both a principle and a special provision. This policy brief analyzes the content, structure, and implications of including this provision in the agreement and draws on lessons and policy recommendations that are useful for peace delegations and relevant stakeholders nego-tiating provisions to address agrarian conflicts, rural development, and agriculture, hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity. This brief outlines two main recommendations. First, peace negotiators should use the right to food as a key framework in negotiations; and second, peace agreement designers and implementers should use the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Voluntary Guidelines to support the right to food as a practical tool for identifying key provisions and designing implementation actions and interventions.