Food insecurity is a pressing global challenge. The causes of food insecurity are complex and the integrated approach required to effectively tackle the problem is often lacking. IDS’ research on food security cuts across a number of teams and disciplines and seeks to inform and shape current policy debates on developing a joined up response to delivering greater food security and justice for all.

IDS’ work on food security focuses on a number of key areas.

Social protection and food security

Fellows in the Vulnerability and Poverty Reduction Team have been exploring the links between food security and social protection policies. They have recently led the production of a report Social Protection for Food Security, which was commissioned by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition. IDS Director Lawrence Haddad is the UK representative on the UN Committee on World Food Security's High Level Panel of Experts. He was one of the Lead Experts on the UK Government's Foresight Project on the Future of Food and Farming.

The Future Agricultures Consortium, a major research programme hosted by IDS, is looking at the interaction between agricultural growth and social protection. The IDS Adaptive Social Protection in the Context of Agriculture and Food Security programme (ASP Programme) which is funded by the UK Department for International Development focuses on agriculture and natural resource-dependent livelihoods in rural areas. The programme aims to explore and highlight the benefits of an interlinked approach to risk reduction and resilience building in rural areas of developing countries.

Causes of food security

Fellows across IDS including those working within the Future Agricultures Consortium, the Participation, Power and Social Change Team and the Globalisation Team have been exploring the complex causes underlying the global problem of food security including food price spikes, fair access to land and water and the impact of climate change.

The role of the private sector in helping to deliver new food security initiatives

Work undertaken by IDS’ Globalisation Team has been looking at the role of the private sector in increasing the availability and access to food through investments in agriculture and working in partnership with small holder famers. Fellows in the team have also worked with partners such as Oxfam (Growing a Better Future) and Action Against Hunger (Aid for Nutrition) to produce new research on how to tackle global food insecurity and undernutrition. The Globalisation team also ran a series of seminars focusing exploring the impact of businesses on food markets and food policy.