Why did food shortages occur in Angola during the civil war?

Food shortages in Angola during the civil war (1975–2002) were primarily driven by the widespread disruption of the country’s agricultural and economic systems caused by the conflict.12

The war led to several critical factors that decimated food production:

• Displacement and Infrastructure: The conflict displaced large segments of the population, ruined physical infrastructure, and severely damaged the transportation network, which prevented the distribution of agricultural goods to urban centers.12
• Loss of Expertise: The exodus of skilled Portuguese workers at independence in 1975, combined with the flight of petty traders, broke existing distribution systems and left a void in technical and commercial expertise.12
• Economic Collapse: Failed socialist economic policies, including the nationalization of estates and the imposition of artificially high exchange rates, discouraged production. High inflation and the collapse of manufacturing removed incentives for farmers to sell their commodities.12
• Land Mines: The widespread use of land mines throughout the countryside created a lasting impediment to both subsistence and commercial farming.2

As a result, domestic food production plummeted, forcing the urban population to rely on imports and foreign aid to survive famine conditions.12