Peace co-benefits of food and land systems: Theories of change

Sustainable food, land, and water (FLW) systems interventions are increasingly implemented in fragile and conflict-affected settings, where they can influence peace and conflict dynamics through their effects on livelihoods, natural resource governance, social relations, and institutional capacity. While poorly designed interventions may unintentionally exacerbate grievances and tensions, well-designed initiatives can generate important peace co-benefits by addressing drivers of conflict and strengthening conditions for resilience, cooperation, and inclusive development. This brief provides a practical framework to help researchers, practitioners, and development actors identify and prioritize theories of change linking FLW systems programming with peace outcomes. It presents a structured typology of peace domains, pathways, and mechanisms through which FLW interventions may contribute to both negative peace (the reduction of violence) and positive peace (the strengthening of institutions, social cohesion, and equitable livelihoods).