Global food security in a turbulent world: reviewing the impacts of the pandemic, the war and climate change

Food security has recently passed through profound systemic disruptions because of the simultaneous occurrence of the global pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war and climate change. While climate-related shocks are expected to increase in the near future, high uncertainty persists on future pandemic events and armed conflicts. This persistency creates the need for a deep understanding of the concurrent and multiple effects of the three crises on global food security. In this regard, the paper reviews the recent empirical evidence on the channels along which each of the three shocks impacted food security, with a particular focus on its four sub-dimensions: food availability, food access, food utilization and food stability. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the simultaneous dynamics associated with the three shocks and to advance current debate on global food security by offering: a) an evidence-based guide to quickly anticipate the potential effects of similar shocks that may occur in the future; b) a reflection on existing research gaps; c) the ground for the identification of comprehensive policy responses. Findings are discussed from the perspective of informing future lines of research and policy design, with particular emphasis on food price volatility.