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Observatory on Food and Migration

Food & Migration examines the often underestimated link between food systems, and particularly food insecurity, with the movement of peoples. Produced jointly by Limes, the Italian Review of Geopolitics, and the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation, this project will provide interviews, expert columns and in-depth analysis on a regular basis throughout the year.

Our planet faces huge food paradoxes: the co-existence of hunger and obesity and of farm surpluses with food waste. A primary driver of migration is the breakdown of local food systems.

The Barilla Foundation focuses on studying the scientific, economic, social and environmental factors connected to our food systems. Together with MacroGeo and The Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC), it developed a book-length report “Food & Migration: Understanding the geopolitical nexus in the Euro-Mediterranean”. That study explains the flows and trends of the current and future interlinkages between food and migration, with a focus on the Mediterranean countries.

This new project expands the theme, including pieces on how food and migration are linked in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Throughout the year, we will get regular updates on progress and setbacks. We hope you will enjoy the journey.

Case Studies

This section collects relevant news, best practices consistent with the Observatory's aim and brief analyses on sustainability, food security, technology, innovation and migration. 

News Feed - October 2021

Some of the most interesting and informative articles and news from around the world, on food systems and movement of people.

News Feed - August-September 2021

Some of the most interesting and informative articles and news from around the world, on food systems and movement of people.

In Depth

This section aims to analyse the topics that present the intersection between geopolitics, food and migration, through a country-based and historical analyses of issues relevant to current events.

15 Dec, 2021

Haiti’s hunger crisis worsened by devastating earthquake

by Ilaria Mereni

Haiti has been suffering from natural disasters, gang violence and a long-standing political crisis. The earthquake in August, combined with the effects of COVID-19, has dramatically exacerbated its humanitarian needs, pushing more and more people into poverty and leading to different migration movements.

15 Nov, 2021

COP26: a lost opportunity for a revolution in food systems?

by Alessandro Balduzzi

COP26 has been heavily criticized because of its limited results, consisting more of pledges than of concrete engagements. Notably, several pundits and observers stressed that food systems were far from playing a pivotal role both during the negotiations and in the final deal called “Glasgow Climate Pact”. 

15 Oct, 2021

Russian food security under pressure

by Stephen K. Wegren

Russia's food policy has raised production and profits in the agricultural sector, increasing food exports and improving food security. Still, the sector is increasingly under pressure due to climate change-induced weather anomalies, grain policy and migrations. In the long run, these factors could affect Russia's status of food exporter.

Interviews

This section collects interview with experts, policymakers and NGOs to gather different point of view on topics of interest to the Observatory and offer readers privileged and up-to-date perspectives. 

Food & Migration: Understanding the Geopolitical Nexus in the Euro-Mediterranean

In an era in which migration is increasingly at the centre of public debate and crucial to the decision-making process, more awareness on the existing links between food and migration is needed.
Against this backdrop, MacroGeo in collaboration with the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition has conducted an analysis of the geopolitical impact of migration and food in the Euro-Mediterranean area, whose results are comprised in this report on “Food and Migration”. Our study experimentally combines geopolitical analysis (resources, flows, migratory routes) and the analysis of food and nutrition, through a series of different and heterogeneous essays.

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Limes, rivista italiana di geopolitica

www.limesonline.com