Book by IFPRI
The past decade has been marked by multiple, often overlapping, crises. The COVID-19 pandemic, various
natural disasters, and the ongoing war in Ukraine have all threatened the fabric of our global food systems. This string of crises has left an indelible mark. In too many places, progress in reducing poverty and
malnutrition has been reversed, with long-term implications for people’s health and livelihoods. While in
some ways our food systems have also proved surprisingly resilient, as both the private and public sectors
have stepped up to meet new needs, the challenges are huge. As climate change worsens and geopolitical strife grows amid the threat of more frequent pandemics, crises may well become more common and
more devastating.
Now is the time to rethink how we address food crises. Many governments, donors, and international
organizations have called for moving beyond humanitarian responses that are implemented only after a crisis begins, toward better prediction, preparation, and resilience building that will make future crises less
devastating. While discussions of a humanitarian-development-peace approach have been underway for
years, this report aims to provide a solid policy basis for moving forward.
The 2023 Global Food Policy Report explores a growing body of evidence on how diverse policy
responses can reduce both the immediate and longer-term impacts of food crises, and improve livelihoods,
incomes, and food security and nutrition for the future. Drawing on research from IFPRI and other CGIAR
centers, it provides evidence-based policy recommendations for governments, donors, and nongovernmental organizations.
We hope that this year’s report will help shape a transformation in how we respond to the shocks that
threaten our food systems, by contributing evidence and policy options to inform discussions among local,
national, and global policymakers. We look forward to engaging with many partners around the world to
expand this research work and support action for better crisis response.
JOHAN SWINNEN
Director General, IFPRI
Managing Director, Systems Transformation, CGIAR
