CLISA Webinar Series: A Framework to Protect against Climate Shocks and Stresses: TRAIN-ing Food Systems to Enhance Climate Resilience

Title: A Framework to Protect against Climate Shocks and Stresses: TRAIN-ing Food Systems to Enhance Climate Resilience

Presenter: Dr. Eric Li, Associate Professor, The University of British Columbia

Date & Time: May 02, 2025, 1:00 – 2:00 PM (Atlantic Time)

Registration: https://t.ly/xiM3p (The webinar is free but registration is needed to receive the Zoom link).

Abstract: The concept of food system resilience is increasingly central to addressing global concerns around food security and climate change. Food systems spanning production, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal are embedded within complex socio-ecological networks. Resilience refers to the capacity of these systems to provide sufficient, appropriate, and accessible food over time, despite disruptions. Although this definition has been critiqued as overly broad, research on food system resilience is growing rapidly. Scholars have conceptualized food systems at varying scales local, national, regional, and global each involving different actors such as farmers, consumers, industry leaders, and policymakers. Climate change poses both gradual stresses (e.g., rising temperatures) and acute shocks (e.g., floods, droughts, wildfires), with significant implications for food production, particularly in vulnerable regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. Major staple crops such as wheat, maize, and rice face projected yield declines of up to 25% by the century’s end. Meanwhile, food demand is expected to rise by 51% by 2050. These pressures underscore the urgent need for effective climate risk mitigation strategies. This talk outlines practical strategies to enhance climate resilience in agriculture, addressing the gap in outcome-oriented research.