

Can we ever defend against agricultural warfare?
8 snips Jun 6, 2025
Alicia Ellis, an Air Force veteran and director of the Master of Arts in Global Security at Arizona State University, dives deep into agricultural security. She discusses the rising threats of agricultural warfare, using the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a key example. Alicia shares insights on sustainable farming practices and the significance of government support. They explore the challenges of urbanization on agriculture and the need for innovations in water usage in arid regions. The conversation highlights the delicate balance between food security and geopolitical tensions.
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COVID Disrupted Beef Supply
- Alicia Ellis shares how COVID-19 disrupted their beef farm's operations and meat processing industry.
- This crisis made her realize the security risks inherent in agricultural supply chains.
Agricultural Security vs Food Security
- Agricultural security focuses on system-level protection of efficient food supply chains beyond just food availability.
- Vulnerabilities exist in the intricate agricultural system that are exploitable by adversaries or impacted by natural events.
Resilience Over Efficiency Needed
- Markets appear resilient but agricultural sectors cannot absorb even brief disruptions due to food's existential necessity.
- Anticipating unlikely but impactful crises helps build resilience, not just economic efficiency.