Some Considerations about Resilient Food Systems as a Pillar for Food Security and Sustainability

Abstract

Food production, processing and distribution - as components of food systems - represent critical sectors playing a key role in maintaining socio-economic functions and activities at all levels. Worldwide, the three classic sides of the of the food security concept - availability; access and stability - are intrinsically related to arising crises in different contexts, and their fulfilling appears as a result of adequate national and international policies and sustainability practices. Food systems' capabilities in front of crises rely on various ways and alternatives to strengthen their resilience, mostly locally, by balancing the response to urgent situations with long-term strategies which allow for a sustainable growth.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an image of food systems resilience concept and its current relevance, exploring linkages between resilience, food security and sustainability. As flexibility and adaptability in the context of various crises (such as Covid-19 pandemic, military conflicts, food prices crisis) is imperative, food systems transformation is a prerequisite towards a superior levels of resilience. Thus, the paper underlines the importance of building resilient food systems with the participation of all important stakeholders, which need a common approach and understanding on the most appropriate ways to sustainably respond to actual challenges, even if their interests, authority and capabilities may differ.