Food systems in protracted crises: applying a new conceptual framework

The challenge

Protracted crises – where complex, multifaceted, long-term crises affect a population, often with conflict and food insecurity a key part – are growing, especially with the rise of climate change.

Indigenous populations are frequently the most marginalized and affected by protracted crises, yet hold important biocultural knowledge and practices that could be important for food systems resilience.

Despite the rise in protracted crises, this is an understudied and poorly conceptualized topic, especially in relation to food systems. 

What we're doing

Through participatory scoping work, we have developed a conceptual framework to better understand food systems affected by protracted crises. 

In particular, as climate change and environmental degradation bring ever-new challenges, we will focus on this angle. The project will test and validate our framework by applying it, to undertake research in two study sites – one known from the scoping work (Kashmir) where we can add depth to our understanding, and one in an unknown context for the framework (Colombia) to add novel application.

How it helps

The application of the conceptual framework and the evidence it generates will help identify key drivers, underlying causes and power dynamics.

As such, it will aid in developing policy interventions in these sensitive settings to address food security, resilience, equitability, and environmental health.

The wider application beyond these two pilot studies is significant as protracted crises and climate change rise and impact marginalized people and their food systems the most. 

Investigators

• Dr Lauren Blake, Bristol Veterinary School 
• Mehroosh Tak, SOAS University of London