Political instability and undernourishment: Nepal’s decade-long insurgency

This study examines the impact of political instability – Nepal's decade-long Maoist insurgency – on undernourishment using data from the Nepal Living Standard Survey before (1995), during (2003) and after the insurgency (2011), and Uppsala Conflict Data Program (1996–2009). A two-level (household and community) random-intercept logistic model of the probability of undernourishment is estimated using LASSO and instrumenting for insurgency. Traditional household and community characteristics have expected and statistically significant effects on the undernourishment status. The average effect of insurgency on the probability of undernourishment is 27 and 15 percent during 2003 and 2011, respectively, but substantial heterogeneity is observed with implications for institutional quality and stability. •Maoist insurgency in Nepal increased the average undernourishment probability by 27% and 15% in 2003 and 2011, respectively.•Insurgency decreased average household (HH) daily consumption levels by 977 and 656 kcal during 2003 and 2011, respectively.•Traditional HH factors like size, wealth, production diversity, and education remained critical to achieving food security.•Community infrastructures also lowered undernourishment, yet being far from markets was a blessing in violent conflicts.