Conflict, climate, and poverty exacerbate food insecurity in Colombia.

Acute food insecurity in Colombia reached significant levels by the end of 2024. According to the Global Report on Food Crises 2025, published by the Global Network Against Food Crises, approximately 7.8 million people, or 15% of the population , faced high levels of acute food insecurity between October and December of that year.

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The report identifies multiple factors converging in the crisis, including armed conflict, extreme weather events, and economic shocks. In fact, the most affected regions were Arauca, Bolívar, Caquetá, Cauca, Cesar, Chocó, Córdoba, Guaviare, La Guajira, Magdalena, Nariño, Putumayo, Vaupés, and Vichada.

“ In these areas, insecurity and competition for territorial control among non-state armed groups have severely limited food security ,” the document states. Violence has impeded agricultural work, restricted the mobility of rural communities, and hampered access to markets and basic services.

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“ Landmine contamination and the threat of violence have discouraged farmers from cultivating their land ,” the report warns, citing information from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

These dynamics were compounded by natural disasters that affected nearly 2 million people during 2024. In November, the national government declared a state of national emergency for the second time this year following heavy rains and flooding, particularly in the departments of Chocó and La Guajira .

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These extreme events occurred in a context of climate variability that also caused droughts in some regions. "The 2024 corn harvest was below average due to the drought, which reduced plantings," reported the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

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The impacts were also observed in major producing departments, such as Meta and Tolima, where rainfall was below average. Although relatively weak and short-lived La Niña conditions were expected in the first three months of 2025, the cumulative effects of adverse weather had already impacted agricultural production.

The document also highlights the effects of structural inequalities and adverse economic conditions. Colombia, classified as an upper-middle-income country, maintains high inequality, measured by a Gini coefficient of 51.5% and poverty levels close to 40%. "These conditions undermine households' ability to access food and essential services," they note.

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Migration

For migrant and refugee populations, the picture is more complex. Of the 2.9 million people in the country seeking refuge or international protection, one million, or 37% of the population analyzed with the intention of remaining, faced high levels of acute food insecurity. Among them, 100,000 people were experiencing severe levels of insecurity, according to data from February 2025.

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“ Unemployment among migrants stands at 18%, almost double that recorded among Colombian residents ,” they note. They add that 44% of migrant households intending to settle live below the national poverty line. This situation represents an improvement compared to 2022, when 62% of the migrant and refugee population analyzed suffered from high levels of food insecurity. However, the proportion remains high and requires sustained attention.

The internal armed conflict, although historically present, intensified in early 2025, generating new internal displacements. In November 2024, the total number of displaced people in the country reached 7 million, according to government data .

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The continued clashes between illegal armed groups have not only deteriorated security conditions but have also interfered with state and humanitarian programs aimed at improving food production and access to food in vulnerable communities.

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The report also documents the historical evolution of the food crisis in Colombia. While data on the resident population began to be formally included in the GRFC in 2023, the situation of migrants and refugees has been analyzed since 2019, except in 2021 and 2022, when the technical requirements for inclusion were not met. During this period, the number of migrants and refugees analyzed increased from 1.1 million in 2018 to 4.5 million in 2023, with a parallel evolution in the severity of their food conditions.

International agencies warn that the combination of violence, extreme weather events, and economic hardship represents a sustained challenge to food security in Colombia. According to the report, “ the worsening of these dynamics in 2024 and early 2025 requires comprehensive responses that address both the immediate emergency and the structural causes of food insecurity .”

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