Adopting a systems view of disrupting crisis-driven food insecurity

Abstract

ObjectivesDuring the COVID crisis, the incidence of food insecurity worsened around the globe. We were reminded that: food insecurity existed before COVID, worsened during this crisis, and will unfortunately be a persistent phenomenon in the post-COVID world. It is evident that to counter this public health threat, systematic changes will need to happen. In this short communication, we introduce the notion of a systems-oriented framework that can guide appropriate actions for us to disrupt future food insecurity crises. Study designThis short communication identifies preliminary observations based on relevant past studies that documented the impact of COVID-19 on food insecurity, and the researchers’ conceptualization of a framework on how we may address future crisis-driven food insecurity challenges. MethodsSystems-oriented framework was conceptualized based on preliminary observations in studies that investigated food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. ResultsThis short communication explores the notion of a systems-oriented framework as a guide to future action to prevent crisis-driven food insecurity. ConclusionsThe systems-oriented framework emphasizes the importance of action across macro, meso, and micro levels, and synchronization to maximize synergies.