Livestock value chains present a multitude of challenges in the analysis of resilience given their multidimensional role in livelihoods and complexities associated with their biological aspects of production. [Author] This paper discusses these challenges at length and provides some guidance on methodological and operational modalities to tease out these nuances that better inform public policy and the choice of technical and policy interventions. [Author] Specific advice on models, data and applications is provided. [Author]
Agrifood systems in the Near East and North Africa are characterized by increasingly degraded natural resources and vulnerability to climate change, rapid population growth and protracted crises. In addition, the region has been affected by conflict that has further exposed the fragilities and worsened the challenges already faced by communities. Conflict negatively affects the poverty rate, the economic capacity and functioning of agrifood value chains and people’s ability to produce, distribute and access food. In volatile operating environments, resources, government spending and private investment are frequently diverted or reduced, with lasting impact on agri-food value chains and consequently nutrition and food security. Uncertainties inherent to these contexts can further undermine the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of agri-food value chain development interventions, programmes and projects.Investigating the connection between sustainable, resilient agrifood value chain development and the unique characteristics of the highly volatile situations in which they are operating, these practitioner guidelines propose a four-step approach for selection, analysis and design of agrifood value chains in conflict prone and conflict affected contexts. The approach aims to strengthen the resilience of agri-food value chains through systems-based solutions, adopting a context-sensitive programming approach and ensuring an adaptive programming effort through a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) framework, to facilitate testing and scaling-up.
Increasingly, cracks are appearing in the capacity of communities, ecosystems, and landscapes to provide the goods and services that sustain our planet's well-being. The response from most quarters has been for "more of the same" that created the situation in the first place: more control, more intensification, and greater efficiency. "Resilience thinking" offers a different way of understanding the world and a new approach to managing resources. It embraces human and natural systems as complex entities continually adapting through cycles of change, and seeks to understand the qualities of a system that must be maintained or enhanced in order to achieve sustainability. It explains why greater efficiency by itself cannot solve resource problems and offers a constructive alternative that opens up options rather than closing them down. In Resilience Thinking, scientist Brian Walker and science writer David Salt present an accessible introduction to the emerging paradigm of resilience. The book arose out of appeals from colleagues in science and industry for a plainly written account of what resilience is all about and how a resilience approach differs from current practices. Rather than complicated theory, the book offers a conceptual overview along with five case studies of resilience thinking in the real world. It is an engaging and important work for anyone interested in managing risk in a complex world.
This publication contains the proceedings of the FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation, which took place at FAO headquarters in Rome on 25-27 September 2023. The objective of the conference was to provide a neutral forum for FAO Members, producers, scientists, development agencies, policymakers, civil society and the private sector to engage in dialogue on innovations and pathways to efficiently produce more nutritious, safe and accessible animal sourced foods with a reduced environmental footprint and to contribute to vibrant local and diversified livestock systems that are more resilient to shocks and disruptions. The proceedings provide a record of the main highlights of the conference, including the opening plenary session where there were addresses by the FAO Director-General, two keynote speakers and nine participants in two high-level ministerial panels; four plenary sessions dedicated respectively to the themes of better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life, with summaries of presentations and facilitated discussions; and a final plenary session including statements from 12 participants in two high-level ministerial segments. The proceedings also include one chapter each dedicated to the Global Youth Dialogue on Sustainable Livestock Transformation; the reports of five side events and an FAO launch event which took place during the conference; and a summary of 12 success stories of sustainable livestock transformation that were showcased in an exhibition held during the conference.
The current international scenario with the war in Ukraine will have potential impacts on agri-food systems across the world. This scenario will change the balance of power among actors in the agri-food sector. High margins of uncertainty are common across supply chains in the face of uncontrolled increases in raw material prices and an uncertain guarantee of supply. This uncertainty is compounded by rising energy prices, putting the entire agrifood supply chain, which is highly energy-intensive, in crisis. In addition, the current war scenario could impact the demand for agricultural and food products by changing consumers' purchasing habits. Increasing the resilience of agri-food systems may need to become a priority for many national economic systems. In this scenario, the routes to achieve resilient agrifood systems are numerous and include reducing agriculture's dependence on energy, energy-intensive imports and raw material imports. Resilience also requires diversified import sources and market outlets through sound multilateral and bilateral trade policy.
Social research has provided critical insights into understanding gender and generational gaps and the ways that power relations create differentiated access to agricultural and livestock technologies and services. Many of these technologies and services, such as improved feed options (grass-legume associations, silvo-pastoral systems), improved animal genetics, health and welfare, grazing management and associated water and soil health, and manure management, have the potential to improve livelihoods, sustainability, food security, and generational transfer dynamics. Their adoption contributes to mitigating many of the impacts the livestock sector has on the environment through, for example, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, increasing biodiversity, restoration, and land sparing. Likewise, their adoption helps producers adapt to climate change.
The Food and Nutrition Security Resilience Programme (FNS-REPRO) is the first programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Eastern Africa specifically designed to foster peace and food security at scale. FNS-REPRO employs a livelihood and resilience-based approach in some of the least stable regions, where interventions are normally exclusively of a humanitarian nature. Its design allows FAO and partners to set good examples of how to build food system resilience in protracted crises and strengthen cooperation across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus towards this end. This report provides the results of analyses conducted during FNS-REPRO’s inception phase in Somaliland, with the aim to inform its area based interventions, thereby creating a common understanding of the context, and both the challenges and opportunities therein. The context analysis informs and co-creates design, approaches and operational responses, thereby also strengthening the FNS-REPRO learning agenda and evidence-based programming - focused on seed sector development. The publication provides a baseline for the four-year programme in Somaliland, together with the Resilience Baseline (RIMA) report.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has developed this three-year strategy to strengthen resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods in Nigeria under recurring threats from both conflict and natural hazard-induced disasters to better withstand shocks and thrive. It integrates the pathways for resilience through four main outcome areas. The first one is the strengthening of the national institutions and their entities for disaster risk reduction, natural resources management and food crisis prevention and management in the agriculture sector. Secondly, it aims to inform agriculture-based livelihood interventions with reliable data, analysis and a well-established early warning system against known and emerging risks and hazards, for enhanced food security. Besides, the strategy aims to promote diversified, resilient and inclusive agriculture-based livelihood systems and also to improve and protect food security and nutrition, and agriculture-based livelihoods of crisis-affected populations.
Food systems are at a critical juncture—they are evolving quickly to meet growing and changing demand but are not serving everyone’s needs. Building more inclusive food systems can bring a wide range of economic and development benefits to all people, especially the poor and disadvantaged. IFPRI’s 2020 Global Food Policy Report examines the policies and investments and the growing range of tools and technologies that can promote inclusion. Chapters examine the imperative of inclusion, challenges faced by smallholders, youth, women, and conflict-affected people, and the opportunities offered by expanding agrifood value chains and national food system transformations. Critical questions addressed include: How can inclusive food systems help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and malnutrition? \What can be done to strengthen the midstream of food value chains to improve rural access to jobs, markets, and services? Will Africa’s food systems generate sufficient jobs for the growing youth population? How can women be empowered within food system processes, from household decisions to policymaking? Can refugees and other conflict-affected people be integrated into food systems to help them rebuild their lives? How can national food system transformations contribute to greater dietary diversity, food safety, and food quality for all? Regional sections look at how inclusion can be improved around the world in 2020 and beyond. The report also presents interesting trends revealed by IFPRI’s food policy indicators and datasets.
