Response of Food Production and Trade to the Global Socio-Ecological System Network

Abstract

Food production and trade play a fundamental role in the globalized food system. However, the phenomena of decreasing food production and trade interruptions are becoming increasingly common. Currently, there is a lack of simultaneous research on food production and import trade. This study compiles socio-economic environmental data from 146 countries and regions worldwide and employs mobile window and network analysis methods to illustrate how food production quantity influences the social-ecological system. The research findings indicate that in the majority of regions worldwide (102 countries), food demand is met through the local food supply, with a predominant distribution in coastal and inland areas. However, 31% of countries or regions primarily achieve food security through import trade, and many of them are island nations and peninsular countries. This discovery provides valuable insights for understanding the diversity and dependency within the global food system. Based on the impact of food production quantity on the global socio-ecological system network, this study reveals the uneven strengths of connections between nodes and inconsistent connection directions. Building upon these findings, we propose recommendations concerning agricultural policies, human-environment relationships, agricultural transformation, and climate change to help prevent and manage food insecurity risks.