From Food Production to Food Security - Global Environmental ...

determine interactions along and between scales, and understanding the interactions betweenand within them are critical to understanding the controls on food security.Recognising that an analysis of existing approaches and strategies for food security atregional levels was lacking (Liverman and Ingram, 2010: Paper 4), GECAFS developmenttherefore concentrated on how to integrate environmental and socio-economic drivers andoutcomes at this spatial level. The specific GEC angle led to considerations of whatadaptation measures could enhance food security by reducing food system vulnerability toGEC at regional level, while also minimising further environmental degradation. Manytechnical considerations apply at local level, especially concerning producing food (e.g.enhanced agro- and aquaculture technologies), while others pertain to the regional level (e.g.rail infrastructure in relation to food distribution). Much of the debate at the regional level ishowever in the policy arena. This led first to issues of who was the intended policy ‘client’for outputs from such research at this spatial level; and second to the question of how best toengage them in co-designing the research agenda so as to ensure the research outputs wouldbe of most value to them (Ingram et al., 2010: Paper 5). Given the lack of regional-levelstudies (in relation to global and local), this focus opened up novel ways of formulatingGEC/food security research.As understanding grew about how the whole food system operates (as opposed to theagricultural component alone), it became increasingly clear that numerous actors operateacross a wide range of scales and levels. Further, the role of ‘non-state actors’ is becomingincreasingly important worldwide (Schilpzand et al., 2010) and the need for engaging thesestakeholders (i.e. beyond the research and regional policy communities) became apparent.The challenge is how to integrate these various considerations when undertaking GEC-foodsecurity research at regional level (Ingram and Izac, 2010: Paper 6).Specific challenges the thesis addresses (thesis questions)Much progress had been made in conceptualising the GEC-food security issues and researchagenda during intensive GECAFS planning exercises. However, turning these ideas intopractice posed a number of major challenges the GEC research community had thus far notexperienced, especially as it encompassed a number of food system activities beyondproducing food. These related to issues such as which disciplines should be involved and howshould interdisciplinary research best be developed; what the optimum spatial and temporalresolutions should be, and who should be involved in research design, when and how;identifying the ‘client’, and how interactions with them should best be managed; and,importantly, how research would best build on – and contribute to – improving understandingof GEC-food security interactions. Embarking on the full system approach thereforenecessitated a somewhat different approach to designing and implementing internationalGEC research projects than those which had hitherto been designed by researchers on moredisciplinary topics (Ingram et al., 2007b).8