Too Big to Fail?: Evaluating the association between large-scale irrigation schemes and civil violence in sub-Saharan Africa, in the context of the climate crisis
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- A “code red for humanity;” the “number one threat to mankind;” as lethal as “guns and bombs.” Climate change represents an existential threat to humanity. The coming decades will see a surge of funding for climate adaptation aid in response to this threat – led by US President Joe Biden’s pledge of $11 billion in climate aid annually by 2024. This expansion of funding for climate development interventions, in particular, suggests a need to evaluate how past infrastructure interventions have impacted communities, and lessons for the future. This thesis thus explores the relationship between large-scale irrigation projects in sub-Saharan Africa and communal violence. Recognizing the wide-ranging variation in use and effectiveness of irrigation schemes, it asks: To what extent does violence influence the location and effectiveness of large-scale irrigation projects? Essentially, is there a violence effect – does violence prior to or during the construction of projects influence projects influence their utility, and, conversely, in what circumstances do these projects amplify or reduce the risks of communal violence? Using a mixed methods approach, the paper does not find a strong relationship between violence and the relative success of irrigation projects. However, it finds that irrigation projects are more likely to be placed in locations with greater exposure to violence. The reason for this increased exposure to violence appears two-fold: first, there is an intentional decision to use irrigation projects as a mechanism to promote regional stability and socioeconomic development. This relationship is also, in part, unintentional, reflecting multilateral funding bodies’ historically limited efforts to mitigate risk. A case study of Nigeria is used to delve further into these findings, identifying several instances in which projects have exacerbated community grievances against the state –– and where violence has ensued. These findings suggest that stakeholders in the climate change, development, and peacebuilding spheres should prioritize mechanisms for greater environmental and social risk assessments; increase opportunities for community-based development and governance; and strive to better integrate conflict-sensitivity into climate adaptation interventions.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Date modified | December 5, 2022 |
| Publication date | June 2, 2022; June 2022 |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Smith, Emma |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor | Schultz, Kenneth |
| Degree granting institution | Stanford University |
| Department | Center for International Security and Cooperation |
Subjects
| Subject | Irrigation |
|---|---|
| Subject | Violence |
| Subject | Security, International |
| Subject | Peace-building |
| Subject | Nigeria |
| Subject | Dams > Social aspects |
| Subject | Dams > Evaluation |
| Subject | Dams |
| Subject | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Subject | Food security > Climatic factors |
| Subject | National security > Climatic factors |
| Subject | World Bank |
| Subject | International Development |
| Subject | USAID |
| Subject | Civil conflict |
| Subject | African Development Bank |
| Subject | Crops and climate |
| Genre | Text |
| Genre | Thesis |
Bibliographic information
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- Use and reproduction
- User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY).
Preferred citation
- Preferred citation
- Smith, E. (2022). Too Big to Fail?: Evaluating the association between large-scale irrigation schemes and civil violence in sub-Saharan Africa, in the context of the climate crisis. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at https://purl.stanford.edu/hk876zh3143
Collection
Stanford University, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Interschool Honors Program in International Security Studies, Theses
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- Contact
- esmith11@stanford.edu
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