Food Security Resilience Research Articles

Resilience for Whom? The Problem Structuring Process of the Resilience Analysis

Resilience is a flexible concept open to many different interpretations. The openness of resilience implies that while talking about resilience, stakeholders risk talking past each other. The plurality of the interpretations has practical implications in the analysis and planning of resilience. This paper reflects on these implications that have so far not explicitly been addressed in the literature, by discussing the problem structuring process (PSP) of a modelling-based resilience analysis. The discussion is based on the analysis of food security resilience to climate change in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, jointly undertaken by the author, governmental authorities, small-scale farmers and academics of the national university. The aim of this discussion is to highlight the underestimated challenges and practical implications of the resilience concept ambiguity and potential avenues to address them. The contributions of the results presented in this paper are twofold. First, they show that, in practice, the resilience concept is constructed and subjective. Second, there remains a need for a participatory and contested framework for the PSP of resilience.

Increasing food security and nutrition resilience in response to climate change in east Africa: findings from a multisectoral symposium

Abstract Background The symposium Kuwa Tayari (be prepared in English): finding pathways to nutrition and food security resilience in response to climate change in East Africa was held in Eldoret, Kenya, in May, 2016. The goals of this symposium were to increase awareness, stimulate research ideas and recommendations, catalyse the development of training opportunities, and provide an evidence base for policy and decision-making in these regions in preparation for, and response to, our changing world. Here, we describe the structure, aims, and outcome of the symposium. Methods The 2-day symposium was a partnership initiative between University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health in Toronto, Canada, and Moi University, College of Health Sciences, School of Public Health in Eldoret, Kenya. Target audiences were scientists, students, and educators in public health, environmental studies, agriculture, agroecology, civil society, non-government organisations, and government stakeholders. Symposium organisers did a literature review to develop a background paper that helped inform the selection of five planetary health subthemes of the symposium: (1) agriculture, nutrition, and agro-biodiversity; (2) water security; (3) renewable and sustainable cooking fuels; (4) nutrition and food security issues affecting vulnerable populations; and (5) human rights and sustainable development. The symposium format consisted of keynote and oral abstract presentations, plenary discussions, small group work, poster viewing sessions, and networking opportunities. A final report was produced to highlight key outcomes and recommendations. Findings There were 121 attendees at the symposium from 26 institutions in Kenya, Uganda, Canada, USA, and elsewhere; most were from academic and community organisations. Participants' reasons for attending were met: personal growth and development, networking, research, course and training ideas, and potential collaborations. There was consensus on the need to invest in innovative, context-specific, climate-smart agricultural practices that support sustainable livelihoods and development, and improve food security at the household level throughout east Africa. Interpretation Multisectoral, transdisciplinary, community-based, and population health research and interventions are needed to address the complex and interconnected issues of climate change, nutrition, and food security. Within east Africa, participatory initiatives that engage vulnerable populations (such as women, pastoral populations, and the urban poor), and those that integrate indigenous food system practices are crucial. Training priorities should be in the areas of integration of climate change topics into existing public health curriculums, and novel interdisciplinary courses on planetary health. Funding Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

A non-equilibrium formulation of food security resilience.

Resilience, the ability to recover from adverse events, is of fundamental importance to food security. This is especially true in poor countries, where basic needs are frequently threatened by economic, environmental and health shocks. An empirically sound formalization of the concept of food security resilience, however, is lacking. Here, we introduce a general non-equilibrium framework for quantifying resilience based on the statistical notion of persistence. Our approach can be applied to any food security variable for which high-frequency time-series data are available. We illustrate our method with per capita kilocalorie availability for 161 countries between 1961 and 2011. We find that resilient countries are not necessarily those that are characterized by high levels or less volatile fluctuations of kilocalorie intake. Accordingly, food security policies and programmes will need to be tailored not only to welfare levels at any one time, but also to long-run welfare dynamics.

A System Dynamics Model for Subsistence Farmers' Food Security Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa

Food security at subsistence farmers' level in sub-Saharan Africa has become an issue of concern due to increasing vulnerability caused by a number of factors such as: changing climate, resource scarcity (e.g. land and inputs), environmental degradation (e.g. declining soil fertility, deforestation, and surface water eutrophication), market failures and weak public/donor support initiatives. In light of these challenges, farmers must be prepared to survive by self-provisioning. To pursue the fastest and most practical route to improved food security, focus should be on resilience based initiatives at household and community levels. In this paper, the authors investigate the factors that have enabled subsistence farmers to succeed despite the previous shocks and stresses, and develop a system dynamics model for sustainable food security based on initiatives exclusive to the farmers. The model is used to examine the question: how can innovative subsistence farmers engage in better livelihood and market orientated production irrespective of external public or donor support?

A Non-Equilibrium Formulation of Food Security Resilience

Resilience, the ability to recover from adverse events (shocks), is of fundamental importance to food security. This is especially true in poor countries, where basic needs are frequently threatened by economic, environmental, and health shocks. An empirically sound formalization of the concept of food security resilience, however, is lacking. Here we introduce a general framework for quantifying resilience based on a simple definition: a unit is resilient if (a) its long-term food security trend is not deteriorating and (b) the effects of shocks on this trend do not persist over time. Our approach can be applied to any food security variable for which high-frequency time-series data is available, can accommodate any unit of analysis (e.g., individuals, households, countries), and is especially useful in rapidly changing contexts wherein standard equilibrium-based economic models are ineffective. We illustrate our method with an analysis of per capita kilocalorie availability for 161 countries between 1961 and 2011. We find that resilient countries are not necessarily those that are characterized by high levels or less volatile fluctuations of kilocalorie intake. Accordingly, food security policies and programs will need to be tailored not only to welfare levels at any one time, but also to long-run welfare dynamics.

The role of knowledge in building food security resilience across food system domains

Food systems are social-ecological systems essential for human life. Many food systems are in parallel operation globally, differing in their practices, impacts, use of knowledge, and resilience. Those that are adapted to local constraints and assets and intentionally use and preserve ecosystem services result in lower environmental impacts and are less prone to lead to catastrophic environmental thresholds. Actors within food systems are constantly changing their practices to adapt to pressure and perturbations. Changing activities are correlated with changes in knowledge systems as well. Contributions to the resilience of social-ecological systems have been identified and evaluated, primarily based in ecosystem studies. Many of these attributes (e.g., memory, learning, self-organization) have to do with forms of knowledge. This paper suggests characteristics of “resilient knowledge” and links it with enabling power to make needed changes. How can this enabling power allow social organizations from the community to the international scale to build resilience to all kinds of perturbations into their food systems and create the knowledge systems that resilience requires? This paper compares knowledge generation, transmission, access, and use in four food system domains (global industrial, independent commercial, local and sustainable, and fair trade) discriminated on dimensions of globalization and multifunctionality. The objective of these comparisons is to understand connections among the resilience of food systems, food security, and knowledge systems. The paper concludes with a case study of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), hosted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The CFS embodies and facilitates many of the attributes of resilient knowledge generation and access; some of the tensions within the CFS reflect whether knowledge used by the Committee will have attributes of resilient knowledge. I argue that forms of knowledge generation, transmission, and access must be participatory, multi-actor, iterative, and transparent in order to build food security resilience. I also argue that knowledge at multiple scales must be resilient and interlocking in order to protect social organizations from food shortages and impaired food security.

Traditional orchards in Romania: case study Fântânele, Sibiu County

In the last 10 years traditional orchards became more and more important for biodiversity conservation as priority habitats on one hand and for in situ conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in supporting the food security resilience of local communities on the other hand. Fântânele is a small village positioned at the foot of Cândrel Mountain, belonging to the Romanian Carpathians, in the buffering zone of the protected area ROSCI0085 ‘Frumoasa’ which is famous in the region for its traditional orchards established for more than four centuries. The main scope of this article is to survey these traditional orchards for the existing old fruit tree species and varieties. As a result from a total of 401 surveyed trees, 20 old apple tree varieties have been recorded and 55.74 % are estimated to be older than 100 years. Only two modern apple tree varieties have been recorded in the village area older than 40 years (i.e. ‘Florina’ and ‘Starkrimson delicious’) with a low infusion rate (i.e. 16.17 %). Walnut trees, plum trees, cherry trees and sour cherry trees complete the structure of traditional fruit orchards. No rejuvenating activities or pesticides use have been registered for more than 25 years. A protected habitat at European level was recorded in the area of this village for the first time (i.e. habitat of Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench subsp. arundinacea) and also protected species according to the European Union regulatory framework for Natura 2000 have been observed.

Indexing household resilience to food insecurity shocks: The case of South Sudan

ABSTRACTBased on a number of household characteristics, livelihood capitals and endowments, we generate a household food security resilience index. The rationale of the paper is premised on the notion that resilience to food insecurity is a property of wealth and thus its proxy. The study explored the statistical robustness and efficiency of the technique in providing evidence for triggering alerts and action for curbing risk of food insecurity uncertainties. It is established that Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is helpful in constructing a summary measure (referred to here as Household Resilience Index or HRI in short) that is an efficient proxy for wealth index, which is based on consumption data, and that predicts per capita consumption very well. The paper elaborates six distinctive characteristics of the HRI that support its adoption and use. The dataset used in the study is from the 2009 South Sudan National Household Baseline Survey.

Introduction to the Special Feature on rebuilding fisheries and threatened communities

In this introductory essay to the Special Feature on rebuilding fisheries and threatened communities, we review the contributions of the researchers whose work is contained in this Special Feature. The essays are reviewed using the lens of the three questions that were posed by the Special Feature editors: Why is rebuilding so challenging? What is the relationship between fishery collapse/degradation and shortand long-term issues for food security, livelihoods, employment, and industrial and community resilience? How can we avoid situations in which the communities and people who may have contributed least to collapses/degradation end up paying the most for rebuilding and, indeed, may no longer be in a position where they can benefit from the results of their necessary sacrifices?

Drivers of change in agricultural water productivity and its improvement at basin scale in developing economies

We approach the issue of water productivity in agriculture by identifying five sets of drivers of change. We find that irrigation efficiencies at the field level can result in real water savings under certain conditions, but that small farmers in most of South Asia and Africa have little incentive to adopt the appropriate measures. Although water productivity improvement and water savings at the regional level are possible through a shift to economically efficient crops, such changes may be constrained by concerns with respect to domestic and regional food security, rural employment, and farming system resilience.

Food Security in Complex Emergencies: Enhancing Food System Resilience

This paper explores linkages between food security and crisis in different contexts, outlining the policy and institutional conditions needed to manage food security during a crisis and to rebuild the resilience of food systems in periods of relative peace. The paper reviews experiences over the past decade of countries in protracted crisis and draws lessons for national and international policy. It assesses the different alternatives on offer in fragile countries to address, for example, the disruption of institutional mechanisms and the decreasing level of support offered by international donors with respect to longer-term expectations. It proposes a Twin Track Approach to enhance food security resilience through specific policies for protracted crises that link immediate hunger relief interventions with a long-term strategy for sustainable growth. Finally, the article analyses policy options and the implications for both short- and longer-term responses vis-a-vis the three dimensions of food security: availability; access; and stability.