In a startling revelation, a comprehensive research paper has unveiled the intricate ways in which the seemingly innocuous sesame seed has become a pivot around which swirls a vortex of violence, political instability, and economic upheaval in the borderlands of Ethiopia and Sudan. Over the past three years, civil war, political turbulence, and territorial disputes have dramatically reshaped the political economy of the sesame sector, transforming it from a backbone of local livelihoods into a central figure in a transnational conflict economy.
The study meticulously charts the dynamics of this transformation, focusing on the competition for control over farmlands, sesame production, and trade among various actors, including government forces, local elites, militias, and rebel groups. This competition has not only perpetuated violence but also significantly contributed to political instability across the region.
The roots of the conflict stretch deep into the soil of contested lands, fueling and sustaining battles in both Ethiopia and Sudan. Notably, the strife has breathed new life into the cross-border dispute over Al Fashaga, a major sesame-producing area, bringing to the forefront the complex interplay of internal and transnational conflict dynamics.
Sesame, a crop of no remarkable distinction aside from its economic value to local communities, has been elevated to a strategic ‘conflict commodity.’ Its cultivation and trade are now deeply embedded in local, subnational, and national political contestations, implicating the sector in the broader transnational conflict scenario.
The repercussions of these developments have been profound for local communities, with violence along the Ethiopia–Sudan border leading to a redistribution of economic power and creating distinct winners and losers. For instance, the Sudanese army’s consolidation of control over border areas has enabled it to capture significant profits from the sesame trade, using these funds to fuel its military endeavors. This has detrimentally affected local farmers in both nations, exacerbating the situation further to the east in Western Tigray/Welkait, where territorial contestations have deepened ethnic divides.
In response, the paper offers a slew of recommendations aimed at domestic and international policymakers. These include the need to understand and address the transnational dynamics fueling armed conflict, recognize the economic dimensions of these disputes, and rethink conventional definitions of ‘conflict goods’ to encompass commodities like sesame. Moreover, it underscores the importance of fostering ‘bottom-up’ initiatives that encourage local cohabitation and cooperation, as well as supporting efforts for multilateral dialogue and mediation to prevent further escalation of tensions.
As Ethiopia and Sudan grapple with the implications of these findings, the international community is called upon to reassess its approach to conflict resolution in the region. The case of the sesame sector vividly illustrates how agriculture can become enmeshed in the fabric of conflict, demanding a nuanced and multifaceted strategy for peacebuilding that goes beyond traditional diplomatic interventions.
