Global Food System Resilience Gaps Revealed in New Index

A new index from Economist Impact has revealed significant gaps in the resilience of global food systems, with a 42-point difference between the top and bottom ranked countries. The Resilient Food Systems Index assessed 60 countries across four key pillars: affordability, availability, quality and safety, and climate risk responsiveness. Portugal topped the rankings with a score of 77.5 out of 100, while the Democratic Republic of Congo ranked last with a score of 35.5. According to the report, the index 'provides a comprehensive assessment of countries' food system resilience, highlighting areas of strength and vulnerability that can inform policy and investment decisions to strengthen global food security.' Key findings from the index include: - High-income countries generally scored better, with 9 of the top 10 countries classified as high-income. This highlights the resource and infrastructure gaps faced by lower-income nations. - Climate risk responsiveness was the lowest scoring pillar overall, indicating widespread vulnerability to the impacts of climate change on food production and supply chains. - Availability of food was the highest scoring pillar, suggesting that global food production capacity is not the primary driver of food insecurity. - Affordability emerged as a major challenge, with many countries struggling to ensure food is accessible and affordable for all. 'This index comes at a critical time, as the world faces the dual threats of climate change and global food price shocks,' said gCaptain editor John Konrad. 'It provides a valuable roadmap for governments, businesses and NGOs to identify priority areas for investment and policy reform to build more resilient and equitable food systems.' The full Resilient Food Systems Index report is available on the Economist Impact website.