Over the past few years, global shocks have greatly disrupted food systems all over the world, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis. They have added up to multiple other shocks and stresses already weighing on many food systems.
In view of this challenge, FAO conducts a global study targeting all food system actors, including local governments.
The global study's purpose is to capture urban and city-region stakeholders' experiences during Covid-19, highlighting its impact on food systems and innovative solutions adopted. It aims to build an evidence base for territorial food system approaches, enabling local governments to plan for multi-risk resilience. The study promotes knowledge exchange, comparisons among responses globally, and offers insights for building resilience capacities. The target audience includes policy-makers, NGOs, and community organizations, helping them understand vulnerability, identify adaptable actions, and explore effective governance arrangements for enhanced resilience to shocks and stresses.
The global study consists of three parts, which are 1) literature review on lessons learnt from COVID-19 in local food systems, 2) global survey on urban food systems and responses from cities, and 3) in-depth study on the impacts and responses of the food system actors to shocks and stresses.
The global study is supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) of Germany, in collaboration with CIRAD and RUAF, as well as city networks, e.g. C40 Cities, ICLEI, Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP), Resilient Cities Network, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).