Challenges and opportunities for building resilient agrifood systems in food crisis contexts

After steadily declining for years on a global level, food crises driven by conflict, climate extremes and economic downturns have marked an increase in the number of people who face hunger and malnutrition since 2015. Food crises are leading countries far off-track from achieving food security and improved nutrition by 2030, as set out in Sustainable Development Goal 2. Conventional approaches to rural transformation driven by enhanced agricultural productivity have not rendered the needed results, heading the call for inclusive agrifood system transformation that focuses on resilience, particularly in crisis contexts. However, obstacles such as fragile institutions, conflict and violence and recurring shocks and stresses hinder investing in crisis contexts and threaten transformation pathways in agrifood systems. This paper describes synergies between humanitarian, development, peace and climate interventions that can be leveraged to direct investments in a comprehensive set of resilience building interventions along the agricultural sectors and food system livelihoods to contribute to sustainably address hunger and malnutrition in food crisis countries.