The Importance of Regional Food Security in Achieving Supply Chain Resilience A Case Study

In an era marked by global interconnectivity and unforeseeable disruptions, the resilience of food supply chains stands as a critical concern. This chapter delves into the nexus between regional food security and supply chain resilience (SCR), employing a case study approach to illuminate the intricate dynamics at play. By examining a specific region, we explore the complex interactions among local agricultural production, distribution networks, and socio-economic factors. Drawing upon diverse scholarly perspectives and empirical evidence, our analysis highlights the pivotal role of regional food security as an essentiality for SCR. We clarify how investments in local agricultural systems, infrastructural enhancements, and policy frameworks tailored to regional needs can reinforce resilience against shocks, ranging from climate-induced disasters to spread of disease pandemics. Furthermore, through exploration of stakeholder engagement and community empowerment, we elucidate pathways for fostering adaptive capacity and mitigating vulnerabilities within the supply chain ecosystem. This chapter contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical insights by delineating the intricate interplay between regional food security and SCR. It advocates for a holistic approach that integrates local knowledge, adaptive governance structures, and technological innovations to build robust and sustainable food systems capable of withstanding disruptions while ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all stakeholders. It uses the recent COVID-19 pandemic to discuss the importance of SCR for food supply and provision, that is, food security for resilient urbanism. In doing so, we evaluate SCR capabilities and related elements for further consideration. In particular, this chapter delves into regional food security issues in the context of China, where the COVID-19 outbreak took place. The findings indicate approximate parameters to analyze various aspects and elements of SCR in two cities in China with different levels of food security and strengths. The results reveal that higher food security powered by greater food distribution systems and ICT applications can bring more benefits to support SCR during the pandemic outbreaks. It implies that strengths in food accessibility and food utilization can provide more opportunities for improving SCR on city scale under the shocks of a large-scale disruption like COVID-19. This chapter highlights some of the main research gaps in this research area which require a holistic approach in future research.