Stress-Testing Food Systems: Preparing for Compound Crises

By Pietro Nardiello

As global food systems become increasingly exposed to overlapping shocks, the ability to anticipate and manage crises remains limited. While stress testing is widely used in many sectors, it remains underdeveloped in the field of food security despite growing systemic risks.

This podcast focuses on the need to integrate stress testing into food systems governance, particularly in light of recent disruptions such as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and their impact on energy and fertilizer markets. These shocks show how quickly input cost increases and supply constraints can cascade into broader food insecurity.

The episode draws on a crisis simulation conducted at Sciences Po, exploring a compounded scenario in Senegal involving a livestock disease outbreak and global supply disruptions. The simulation provides a practical case to examine how different actors (governments, producers, traders, and civil society) respond under pressure and uncertainty. A detailed summary highlighting students insights from this innovative crisis simulation can be found here.

Through interviews with prof. Christopher Hegadorn, who provides an overview of the importance of stress testing and of the Food Alert initiative, as well as Tatiana Hanks (INRAE) and Koen Deconinck (OECD), the podcast highlights how stress testing can help identify vulnerabilities, clarify trade-offs, and strengthen coordinated responses to food system crises.