As global tensions rise, from conflict and trade disruption to climate shocks and rising food prices, a new report from IPES-Food offers a timely and important lens on what this means for the future of food systems.

The New Geopolitics of Food, launched in May 2026, examines how today’s interconnected crises are reshaping global food security. It shows how wars, economic instability, and supply chain disruptions are exposing the fragility of a system built on long global supply chains and dependence on international markets.

At the heart of the report is a stark message: food systems designed around “just-in-time” global trade are increasingly vulnerable to shocks. When disruption hits, the greatest burden falls on low-income food consumers, and low-income import dependent countries.

Drawing on examples from India, West Africa, Canada, and Norway, the report reveals how governments can shield farmers and communities from volatility and disruption.

The key shift called for by IPES-Food is towards strategies for resilient self-reliance that include:

strengthening local and regional food systems
reducing dependence on volatile global markets
investing in agroecological farming
and using public tools, such as food reserves and supply management, to stabilise prices and ensure access to food.

The report lands at a critical moment. With food increasingly shaped by geopolitics and power struggles, governments face a clear choice: continue down a path of fragile global dependence, or build more resilient, equitable systems rooted in local capacity and sustainability.

A New Geopolitics of Food: Why This Moment Matters