Building resilient and sustainable agri-food systems: CQU Researcher selected to consult United Nations

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of our agricultural food (agri-food) systems across the world' which has led to an increase in threat of global food insecurity and malnutrition' requiring more resilient and sustainable agri-food supply chains.

That's according to CQUniversity's Regional Economies and Supply Chains Researcher Dr Imran Ali' who was selected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters to serve on the Advisory Group for the State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2021 flagship report.

The report highlights the actions that are required to make global agri-food systems more resilient' efficient' sustainable' and inclusive' and analyses the vulnerabilities of food supply chains and how rural households cope with disruptions.

Dr Ali said the report also discusses options to minimise trade-offs with other countries and build resilience.

"It aims to offer guidance on policies to enhance food supply chain resilience' support livelihoods in the agri-food system and' in the face of disruption' ensure sustainable access to sufficient' safe' and nutritious food to all'" he said.

In August 2020' Dr Ali was contacted by the FAO' expressing their appreciation of his research on agri-food supply chains' resilience' and invited him to serve on the Advisory Group.

"It was a great recognition of my research' and I felt the honour to accept the invitation and work on this global project'" Dr Ali said.

"As a member of the Advisory Group' I worked alongside a diverse team of the FAO and experts from different regions of the world.

"I provided input and feedback from the conceptualisation stage to the publication stage of the report' which has been greatly acknowledged."

Jakob Skoet' who is a Senior Economist with the FAO' thanked Dr Ali for his help in preparing the report and said' "it was only thanks to the support' assistance and insights of colleagues like you that we managed to pull it off and produce a complex report like the SOFA 2021. We sincerely appreciate your precious contributions."

Dr Ali said he is grateful for having the opportunity to provide his input.

"My knowledge and network have profoundly improved through productive discussions on emerging challenges of the agri-food industry with a group of talented researchers and practitioners from various regions of the world' and it allowed me to support CQUniversity's global branding and reputation."