Food, Terrorism, and the Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab Insurgencies

Abstract

This article explores the role of food in terrorist insurgencies, focusing on the cases of Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab. Building on the research on food weaponization and resource mobilization, it shows how food is a key dimension of insurgencies. Terrorist groups leverage it to increase compliance from the population and weaken state forces. However, despite enabling militants to achieve operational objectives, food-centered tactics can cause long-term disruptions decreasing their access to resources and their capabilities. Such dynamics have major humanitarian consequences on the ground, showing the need for more comprehensive security strategies addressing local vulnerabilities while building resilience against terrorism.