Forced migration and food crises

Series: Working Papers. 2227.

Author: Federico Carril-Caccia, Jordi Paniagua and Marta Suárez-Varela.

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Forced migration and food crises (1 MB)

Abstract

There is growing concern about the increase in food insecurity across the world, but little is known of its economic implications. This paper quantifies the effect of food crises on forced international migration (FIM) flows using a structural gravity model. To this end, we use a database that measures the severity, intensity and causes of food crises. The results suggest that even less severe food crises tend to increase FIM flows. More severe food crises tend to skew FIM flows towards developing countries. The results obtained appear to indicate that food crises tighten liquidity constraints on migration and that these constraints worsen as the food crisis intensifies.