New Index Reveals Gaps in Global Food System Resilience and How to Close Them

As global food systems face the challenge of feeding ten billion people by 2050, new data from Economist Impact’s inaugural Resilient Food Systems Index (RFSI) offers a clear roadmap to build stronger, more shock-resistant systems.

The Index ranks 60 countries across four pillars, finding a striking 42-point gap between Portugal and the Congo (Dem. Rep.), the most and least resilient food systems. While no country is fully resilient, nearly half of countries fall into the “middle zone” with average scores of 56 to 71 on a 100-point scale, signaling significant potential to strengthen system-wide resilience. 

The strongest performing pillar overall is affordability of food, but alone it does not guarantee resilience. In 62% of countries, the cheapest healthy diet absorbs nearly two-thirds of the poorest households’ income, underscoring the need to pair affordability with equitable access to nutritious food. 

This access depends on reliable supply and trade. The Index highlights that the fifteen largest exporters have an average resilience score of 71, reinforcing the need to monitor risks and opportunities. These countries play an outsized role in global food-system resilience: when they function well, they stabilize markets globally; when they falter, the impact is felt around the world.

“The data show food systems are deeply interconnected: when countries implement targeted, coordinated action across key resilience levers, the benefits ripple across entire systems.” said Jonathan Birdwell, global head of policy and insights at Economist Impact. “But if these interventions fall short or happen in isolation, overall system resilience will deteriorate.”

Key Findings from the Resilient Food Systems Index

The RFSI is based on novel, independent research led by Economist Impact, building on more than a decade of food systems research. It uses a dynamic benchmarking model of 71 qualitative and quantitative indicators across four pillars. The Index outlines key gaps across global food systems:

Despite cost-of-living increases, food affordability is strong, but access and nutrition gaps persist.

• Food affordability emerged as the strongest-performing pillar with a global average of 71.8, yet deep inequalities in access and nutrition remain. 
• A 46-point gap exists between high-income (81.1) and low-income (34.9) countries. Food prices have risen fastest in low- and lower-middle-income countries, increasing by 23.1% over the past five years.

Infrastructure remains an essential, yet lagging, foundation for food availability. 

• Transportation and logistics systems scored an average of just 56.8, constraining efficiency and contributing to food loss, with 13.2% of food lost before it reaches retail and 19% wasted at the household level.
• Many countries support agritech, but lack the basic infrastructure to scale it. Access to reliable electricity and internet remain far below the universal levels needed to deliver system-wide impact.

Limits in climate resilience threaten food system stability.

• Climate risk responsiveness, which measures how countries anticipate, manage and recover from climate-related shocks, is the weakest-performing pillar in the Index with an average of 56.4. This marks a clear opportunity for global improvement.
• While research in low-emissions agriculture and sustainable practices scored high, agriculture-specific efforts to mitigate risk and adapt to changes averaged 34. This gap suggests that research is not translating into widespread, measurable action at scale.
  
  

Three key strategies to accelerate future-proof food systems

To address these vulnerabilities and move countries past the “middle zone,” the Index outlines priority areas for coordinated action:

1. Advance affordability alongside access and nutrition. The Index reveals that agricultural trade correlates positively with affordability of a healthy diet and dietary diversity, suggesting that greater access to trade can lower costs and broaden consumer choice. By diversifying agricultural partnerships and expanding supply chains for nutrient-rich foods, countries can build healthier populations and more stable systems.
2. Scale infrastructure and innovation to unlock system-wide efficiency. Resilient countries need strong foundations to succeed. Investing in equitable internet and mobile access, transport networks and cold chain capacity through temperature-controlled storage and transportation can reduce food loss, expand market access for farmers and boost the impact of innovation across the food system.
3. Strengthen climate resilience through actionable, scalable solutions. Farmers continue to implement innovative practices in many regions, but adoption remains uneven. Countries can strengthen resilience by translating innovation into agriculture-specific adaptation and mitigation strategies, advancing policies, and mobilizing financing to implement and scale proven solutions.

“Everyone needs dependable access to nutritious, affordable food,” said Brian Sikes, Board Chair and CEO of Cargill. “This research offers valuable insights that can help strengthen the world’s food systems. Cargill is proud to do our part to advance this important work, innovating with farmers, customers, and partners across our global supply chains to help ensure food moves where it’s needed, when it’s needed.”

The Resilient Food Systems Index is part of The Food Imperative, a multi-year program from Economist Impact exploring the future of global food systems through data, insight and policy engagement. The RFSI was supported by Cargill.

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Economist Impact combines the rigour of a think-tank with the creativity of a media brand to engage a globally influential audience. We believe that evidence-based insights can open debate, broaden perspectives and catalyse progress. The services offered by Economist Impact previously existed within The Economist Group as separate entities, including EIU Thought Leadership, EIU Public Policy, Economist Events, El Studios and SignalNoise. 

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