Wars, extreme weather events triggered by the climate crisis, and economic vulnerabilities are among the main external factors frequently discussed in today’s world. However, migration and food security, although equally significant as these developments, often do not receive the same level of attention and urgency. Yet, these two phenomena represent areas of vulnerability that directly shape global security, social stability, and sustainable development, both at the humanitarian and political levels.
In a world where resources are increasingly scarce, multiple crises trigger one another, and populations are insufficiently prepared for large-scale problems caused by climate change, food crises and migration emerge as priority issues among potential consequences and rank among the most critical global challenges.
On one hand, challenging conditions such as climate change, political conflicts, and economic crises force people to leave their homelands; on the other hand, climate change directly challenges the principles of sustainable development. In this process, food security is increasingly fragile, making it harder for individuals—and living beings more broadly—to access sufficient, healthy, and available food. Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 2, “Zero Hunger,” directly addresses food security, while Goals 15, “Life on Land,” and 6, “Clean Water and Sanitation,” are closely related to it.
The risks to natural resources that provide safe and healthy food, compromising several sustainability goals, have become one of the main drivers of forced migration as well. Consequently, migration and food security appear as processes that, in some contexts, intersect and, in others, directly trigger each other.For example, migrating communities face economic, social, and legal disadvantages in their new settlements.
Loss of income, unemployment, accomodation problems, and restricted access to social assistance are among the main factors that initially increase food insecurity among migrants. In refugee camps or temporary settlements, limited food variety and quality, along with insufficient infrastructure, may cause food hygiene problems. On the other hand, the knowledge and skills of migrants specialized in agriculture can support agricultural production in new settlements, while remittances they have sent to their families can also strengthen food access and invigorate local economies. For instance, in Turkey, the contribution of Syrian migrants to agricultural production in certain regions and their regular remittances have both supported local food supply and improved the food security of migrants’ families across borders.
Along with the contribution of migration mobility to agricultural production, global climate change is among the factors that most clearly reveal the causality between migration and food security. Droughts, desertification, and floods reduce agricultural production capacity and force rural populations to migrate.
According to a report by The Guardian, each 1-degree rise in global temperature could potentially displace approximately 1 billion people worldwide. Such large-scale migration would have profound. While millions of migrants resulted in a migration management crisis only a decade ago, the future displacement of billions due to climate change could have far-reaching implications, potentially reshaping social, economic, and political landscapes across the globe. Furthermore, in 2024, only one-third of the world’s river basins experienced normal conditions, signaling a serious warning for water resource sustainability. In Europe, 600 football fields’ worth of agricultural and natural land is lost every day. These data show that the climate crisis is not only an environmental threat but also a socio-economic one. Such large-scale losses will trigger waves of migration, intensify food demand, make the existing supply more fragile, and open the way to new crises.
Recent droughts in Somalia have displaced millions and caused severe hunger crises. Political conflicts in the Tigray region of Ethiopia have paralyzed food production, increasing both internal displacement and child hunger. In Latin America, irregular migration routes, particularly the Darién Gap crossing, prevent migrants from accessing basic food, deepening humanitarian crises. These examples illustrate that migration and food security issues are not limited to specific regions but are interconnected on a global scale.
Drought, as another factor affecting agricultural production, has both reduced food supply and raised basic food prices, forcing vulnerable communities to migrate. Similarly, in parts of South Asia, excessive heat and irregular rainfall in regions of India and Bangladesh have reduced agricultural land productivity and triggered internal migration flows.
Effectively managing the fragile relationship between migration and food security clearly demonstrates the need for comprehensive and holistic policies. In this context, ensuring equal and fair access to food for migrant populations and designing social assistance and support mechanisms to be inclusive and accessible are of utmost importance. In addition, strategies to adapt agricultural production to climate change must be developed. Sustainable agricultural practices, the use of drought-resistant crops, effective water management, and the strengthening of food supply chain infrastructure are fundamental components of these strategies. Furthermore, given that migration is a long-term and continuous phenomenon, strengthening international cooperation mechanisms and financial tools is also a critical requirement.
The relationship between migration and food security is becoming increasingly complex alongside climate change and conflicts. The prediction that each 1-degree rise in temperature could displace billions of people highlights the critical nature of the near future. Additionally, the fact that only one-third of river basins worldwide experience normal conditions and that Europe loses an area equivalent to 600 football fields of natural and agricultural land every day already signals future migration and food crises. Therefore, food security policies should not focus solely on agricultural production but also consider migration and climate change.
Referances
United Nations Türkiye. “Türkiye Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları Çalışmalarımız [Our Work on Sustainable Development Goals in Türkiye].” United Nations Türkiye. Accessed October 4, 2025. https://turkiye.un.org/tr/sdgs.
Gender Equality Monitoring Association (CEİD). “Strengthening Participatory Democracy in Türkiye: Monitoring Gender Equality Project.” CEİD News – “Dry lands in one nation can lead to hot drought in another.” October 10, 2025. Accessed October 15, 2025. https://www.ceidizleme.org/haberler/kurak-topraklar-bir-ulus-otede-sicak-kurakliga-yol-acabilir/.
Sarkar, Showmitra Kumar, Swadhin Das, Rhyme Rubayet Rudra, Khondaker Muhammed Mohiuddin Ekram, Mafrid Haydar, Edris Alam, Md Kamrul Islam, and Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam. 2024. “Identification of Drought Vulnerability Zones in Bangladesh.” Scientific Reports 14: 25564. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-75690-w.
Carrington, Damian. 2023. “Global Heating Will Push Billions Outside the ‘Human Climate Niche.” The Guardian, May 22. Accessed October 15, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/22/global-heating-human-climate-niche.
UNICEF. 2021. “Conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region Increases Famine Threat, with at Least 33,000 Children at Risk of Death – Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.” June 14, 2021. Accessed October 15, 2025. https://www.unicef.org/.
