Food Supply Chain Disruption due to Natural Disasters: Entities, Risks, and Strategies for Resilience
Date:
13 May 2016Category:
Disasters, Environment and Climate Change, InfrastructureType:
Discussion PapersTags:
Print Article:
The resilience of the food supply chain (FSC) to disruptions has not kept pace with the extended, globalised, and complex network of modern food chain. This study presents a holistic view of the FSC, including the dynamics among its components, and risks and vulnerabilities to disruptions, particularly natural disasters. Natural disasters pose huge economic challenges to nations, communities, and corporations worldwide. Agriculture is one of the sectors most affected by natural disasters, including the increasing effects of global climate change. Specifically, the annual fluctuation in crop production as well as trade in agricultural products that affect food supply chains has been closely linked to natural disasters and extreme weather. This paper discusses how FSC's dependency on existing infrastructure and how a country's lack of preparedness for emergencies potentially aggravate the disruptions brought by natural disasters. It underscores how the identification of challenges and knowledge gaps can be part of the process to enhance the resilience of FSC and provides examples of disaster relief operations. In particular, it explores the challenges and opportunities for a robust FSC in ASEAN and other developing countries through capacity building and good governance.
