When War Strikes the Soil: Agriculture in the Crossfire
When War Strikes the Soil-
Agriculture in the Crossfire
Today, more than two million people face severe food insecurity, not because nature failed, but because war did what drought could not—scorched every root of resilience. What’s worse? There are no quick fixes. You can’t rebuild a centuries-old olive grove in a year. You can’t restock livestock overnight. You can’t replant when the land is still shaking under airstrikes. Gaza’s farmers, fishers, and herders stand ready to rebuild—but they need tools, resources, and above all, peace. The FAO’s appeal is a first step in that direction, but it remains to be seen whether the international community will answer in time. As Gaza’s once-fertile fields lie in ruins, the world faces a pivotal choice: act now to revive an entire food system, or allow it to remain buried beneath conflict and neglect.
A year into the Russia-Ukraine war, the world learned the hard way that Ukraine wasn’t just fighting for its sovereignty—it was fighting for the global food supply. Often called the “breadbasket of Europe,” Ukraine once produced 10% of the world’s wheat exports and was a key supplier of sunflower oil, maize, and barley. Missiles didn’t just hit cities—they hit silos, shipping ports, and grain elevators. Fields were mined. Farmers abandoned their tractors for trenches. Meanwhile, global grain prices soared, pushing millions in Africa and the Middle East toward hunger. In war, food becomes both weapon and wound. Russia’s blockades of Black Sea ports turned grain into geopolitical leverage. What grows from such strategies is not just famine—but global instability.
While Gaza and Ukraine face open warfare, South Asia lives in a constant state of agricultural unease. Recent skirmishes and cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan—particularly in the Kashmir region—have disrupted planting seasons and displaced rural communities.
The Line of Control (LoC), which cuts through some of the most fertile valleys, has become a no-go zone for many farmers. Fields once ripe with rice, maize, and vegetables now lie abandoned, either out of fear or due to direct shell damage. Even brief escalations force families to flee at critical times—harvests are left uncollected, and livestock unattended. This agricultural insecurity is often overshadowed by military headlines. But the consequences are real: rural poverty, food inflation, and intergenerational trauma. In regions where farming is the only livelihood, even a single border flare-up can mean a season—or a year—of hunger.
The faceoff between India and Pakistan has had a profound impact on agriculture near the Line of Control (LoC), severely disrupting rural livelihoods. Frequent cross-border shelling and military tensions force farmers to abandon their fields during crucial agricultural periods, leading to reduced crop yields and economic instability. Standing crops are often damaged by shelling, and unexploded ordnance renders large areas of farmland unsafe for cultivation. Livestock casualties further deepen losses. Fear and displacement discourage long-term investment in agriculture, leading to land abandonment and soil degradation. The constant threat to life deters the use of modern inputs and prevents access to markets, seeds, and fertilizers. This insecurity also leads to youth migration and weakens the local rural economy. Government compensation schemes exist but are often delayed or insufficient. Additionally, disrupted education, healthcare, and extension services undermine overall community resilience. The psychological toll on farmers, combined with the uncertainty of conflict, hampers both productivity and innovation. In such conflict-prone zones, agriculture becomes a high-risk livelihood, forcing communities to depend on external aid or seek alternative employment. Overall, the Indo-Pak faceoff near the LoC significantly undermines agricultural sustainability and food security in these vulnerable border regions.
Agriculture is a long game—it requires time, trust, and tools. It thrives in stability and wilts in fear. When war disrupts this delicate cycle, the effects ripple across decades and borders. And while armies may eventually retreat, hunger often stays behind.
First, international aid must prioritize agricultural recovery alongside immediate humanitarian relief. Rebuilding irrigation systems, restocking livestock, and providing farming inputs should be treated with the same urgency as rebuilding hospitals or schools.
From Gaza’s razed orchards to Ukraine’s mined wheat fields and Kashmir’s anxious harvests, one truth remains: when war strikes the soil, it sows a bitter future. And unless we treat agriculture as an essential part of both conflict response and peacebuilding, we risk watching entire regions starve not just for food, but for hope.
Let us remember—nations are rebuilt not just through diplomacy or defence, but through something older, deeper, and more enduring: the return of seeds to the soil.
Dr. Waseem Ahmad
The author is working at Ambri Apple Research Centre , Pahnoo Shopian SKUAST-K, Shalimar
and can be reached at waseembhatspn@yahoo.com
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