‘Food security is security’ - World Food Programme head Ertharin Cousin says food key to Syria solution

The head of the World Food Programme says that far from being a side issue, food security is itself security, and is key to a solution to the conflict in Syria.

“When people are hungry, when a mother or father is facing a child that they can't feed, you can't ask that family to lay down their arms,” Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the World Food Programme, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.

“They won't, because the one thing a family is going to fight for is the ability to save their children. And we know that food is required to save a child's life,” Cousin said. “So providing the food assistance that's necessary is a big part of ensuring that the parties will continue to work towards a sustainable political solution.”

Click above to watch Amanpour’s full interview with Cousin.