Food Supply Security

blog

Synthetic Opioids, Ukrainian Grain, the Metaverse: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on countering the illegal flow of synthetic opioids, freeing up Ukrainian grain to prevent famine, the importance of defining the metaverse, and more.

commentary

Unblocking the Black Sea for Ukrainian Grain

As Russia has been blockading ports around Odesa, Ukrainian grain exports in May were more than 60 percent lower than a year ago. Global hunger has hit a new high while 22 million tons of grain in Ukraine could rot if not exported soon.

Bradley Martin, William Courtney @courtneywmh

commentary

In Pittsburgh: Feeding the Needy, and Protecting Workers on the Front Lines of the Pandemic

Access to food could be critical to getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. Local leaders and policymakers may find themselves having to devote new resources to make sure all citizens have access to food and to protect those on the front lines.

Andrea Richardson @ASRichardson3, Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz

commentary

Forgotten on the Frontlines of the Food Supply Chain

The working and living conditions of farmworkers make practicing social distancing, self-isolation, or quarantine impossible. In the food supply, farmworkers are the first responders who keep the supply chains going. FEMA, the CDC, and state governments should include farmworkers and agricultural communities in their emergency response plans.

Susan L. Marquis

commentary

What Street Food Vendors in Uganda Need to Succeed

Street vendors in Kampala, Uganda, would benefit from infrastructure development, food safety standards, rules of hygiene, and greater focus on healthy products. The city's growing population also would benefit from increased access to nutritious and affordable foods.

Michele Abbott, Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

A New Ugandan Cuisine: Showcasing Superfood Qualities of Millet and Sorghum

The results of a series of cooking contests in Uganda to promote the use of drought-tolerant, nutritious traditional grains—millet and sorghum—signal that a new food trend may be on the horizon.

Michele Abbott, Deborah A. Cohen

essay

The Hot Spots of the World

Scarcity of food, energy, and water endangers the lives of millions. So RAND created a tool with the potential to help make aid initiatives more effective.

commentary

The US Agricultural Sector: A New Target for Terrorism?

Published commentary by RAND staff.

Peter Chalk