🌍 How do global shocks impact food and nutrition in Lower Saxony? 🍽️
From climate disruptions and animal disease outbreaks, pandemics to geopolitical conflicts, shocks ripple through global food systems—impacting supply chains, trade flows, and local food security. Given Lower Saxony’s deep integration into the global food network, our research explores how such disruptions shape market dynamics and our local food system.
📊 What factors predict the resilience of our supply chains? Take, for example, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to a sharp drop in imports from the affected countries. We find that import diversification plays a crucial role in moderating the effect of such shocks. Firms with a more diverse set of suppliers experience less volatility in the face of unforeseen shocks. While specialization can lead to efficiency gains, we shouldn’t overlook the vulnerabilities that come with overly concentrated supply chains . 🌍 When disruptions hit highly specialized supply networks can struggle to adapt. As uncertainties grow (e.g., Trump 2.0), understanding how to strike the right balance between efficiency and adaptability is more critical than ever.
🔍 But resilience isn’t just about absorbing shocks—it’s also about how quickly systems recover and adapt.We are also examining the role of innovations in the food industry and sustainability standards —from environmental regulations to animal welfare policies—in shaping sourcing strategies and consumer behavior. Understanding these pathways is key to building a more secure and sustainable food future for our region
🚀Our research group is working to provide clear insights into these pressing issues.
Lead of this young scientists group: Prof. Dr. Dela-Dem Doe Fiankor (dela-dem.fiankor@uni-goettingen.de)
Research assistants: Jennifer Klaus (jennifer.klaus@uni-goettingen.de) and Edmond Nyuyki Mainimo (edmond.mainimo@uni-goettingen.de)