Limited self sufficiency threatens global access to healthy and sustainable diets

Growing emphasis on self-reliance and trade barriers could impair the ability of people to consume healthy and sustainable diets around the world. Research teams from the University of Göttingen and the University of Edinburgh investigated the extent to which 186 countries can feed their own populations solely through domestic production. The study was published in the journal Nature Food.

The researchers evaluated seven food groups that are part of the World Wildlife Fund's Livewell diet. Only one in seven countries achieve self-sufficiency in five or more essential food groups – most within Europe and South America. This lack of self-sufficiency was especially true in the Caribbean, West Africa, and the Gulf states. Six countries, primarily in the Middle East, do not produce enough of a single food group for their own needs.

Notably, only Guyana achieved complete self-sufficiency in all seven food groups, while China and Vietnam nearly reach this by achieving six. Significant discrepancies exist regarding self-sufficiency in meat and dairy products. For example, while several European countries produce far in excess of their needs, domestic production in African countries is very low. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, produces only about 15% of its requirements for meat. The analysis uncovers shortfalls in nutrient-dense plant protein worldwide: fewer than half of the countries achieve their domestic needs for legumes (for instance, beans and peas), or nuts and seeds, while only a quarter do so for vegetables.

The study additionally highlights that some countries have low production and simultaneously rely almost exclusively on a single trading partner for more than half of their imports, compounding their vulnerability. This pattern is especially pronounced in smaller countries, including island states. Similarly, many Central American and Caribbean countries depend on the United States for the bulk of their imports of starchy staples – for instance, wheat and maize – and several European and Central Asian countries rely on a single partner for legumes, nuts and seeds.

International food trade and cooperation is essential for healthy and sustainable diets. However, heavy reliance on imports from single countries can leave nations vulnerable. Building resilient food supply chains is imperative for ensuring public health."

Jonas Stehl, PhD researcher, University of Göttingen and first author of the study

This research was financially supported by the European Centre for Advanced Studies (ECAS).