Reviving Agriculture in the Aftermath of Violent Conflict: A Review of Experience

Abstract

Promoting post-conflict recovery of agriculture differs significantly from promoting development of an agriculture sector in ‘normal’ circumstances. The large body of literature on post-conflict recovery has yet to cover systematically the experience of efforts to revive the production sectors of an economy. Based on a selected review of project and programme materials, this article draws together evaluations and lessons learned from many countries' post-conflict experiences in agriculture.¹ It gives attention to the important links between this experience and resumption of long-term development, and with constraints imposed by the need to sustain peace. It is more difficult to rehabilitate agriculture in a post-conflict setting than it is to promote agricultural development under ‘normal’ conditions, that is, conditions of peace and security where violence is limited to ‘ordinary’ crime and banditry. This article explains why this is the case and shares some lessons learned from aid agency experience. Although a substantial body of literature focuses on post-conflict recovery, it does not differentiate between diverse experiences at the sectoral level.