Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems

Global food systems have increased in complexity significantly since the mid-twentieth century, through such innovations as mechanization, irrigation, genetic modification, and the globalization of supply chains. While complexification can be an effective problem-solving strategy, over-complexificat...

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Autores principales:	Philip A. Loring, Palash Sanyal
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	agroecology complexity coerced regimes degrowth food system resilience innovation Nutrition. Foods and food supply TX341-641 Food processing and manufacture TP368-456
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/12d04b406e04499bbb4114c6e07da583
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:12d04b406e04499bbb4114c6e07da5832021-11-12T05:59:42ZIndicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems2571-581X10.3389/fsufs.2021.683100https://doaj.org/article/12d04b406e04499bbb4114c6e07da5832021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2021.683100/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/2571-581XGlobal food systems have increased in complexity significantly since the mid-twentieth century, through such innovations as mechanization, irrigation, genetic modification, and the globalization of supply chains. While complexification can be an effective problem-solving strategy, over-complexification can cause environmental degradation and lead systems to become increasingly dependent on external subsidies and vulnerable to collapse. Here, we explore a wide array of evidence of complexification and over-complexification in contemporary global food systems, drawing on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization and elsewhere. We find that food systems in developed, emerging, and least developed countries have all followed a trajectory of complexification, but that return on investments for energy and other food system inputs have significantly declined—a key indicator of over-complexification. Food systems in developed countries are further along in the process of over-complexification than least developed and emerging countries. Recent agricultural developments, specifically the introduction of genetically modified crops, have not altered this trend or improved return on investments for inputs into food systems. Similarly, emerging innovations belonging to the “digital agricultural revolution” are likewise accompanied by energy demands that may further exacerbate over-complexification. To reverse over-complexification, we discuss strategies including innovation by subtraction, agroecology, and disruptive technology.Philip A. LoringPalash SanyalFrontiers Media S.A.articleagroecologycomplexitycoerced regimesdegrowthfood system resilienceinnovationNutrition. Foods and food supplyTX341-641Food processing and manufactureTP368-456ENFrontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Vol 5 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	agroecology complexity coerced regimes degrowth food system resilience innovation Nutrition. Foods and food supply TX341-641 Food processing and manufacture TP368-456
spellingShingle	agroecology complexity coerced regimes degrowth food system resilience innovation Nutrition. Foods and food supply TX341-641 Food processing and manufacture TP368-456 Philip A. Loring Palash Sanyal Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems
description	Global food systems have increased in complexity significantly since the mid-twentieth century, through such innovations as mechanization, irrigation, genetic modification, and the globalization of supply chains. While complexification can be an effective problem-solving strategy, over-complexification can cause environmental degradation and lead systems to become increasingly dependent on external subsidies and vulnerable to collapse. Here, we explore a wide array of evidence of complexification and over-complexification in contemporary global food systems, drawing on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization and elsewhere. We find that food systems in developed, emerging, and least developed countries have all followed a trajectory of complexification, but that return on investments for energy and other food system inputs have significantly declined—a key indicator of over-complexification. Food systems in developed countries are further along in the process of over-complexification than least developed and emerging countries. Recent agricultural developments, specifically the introduction of genetically modified crops, have not altered this trend or improved return on investments for inputs into food systems. Similarly, emerging innovations belonging to the “digital agricultural revolution” are likewise accompanied by energy demands that may further exacerbate over-complexification. To reverse over-complexification, we discuss strategies including innovation by subtraction, agroecology, and disruptive technology.
format	article
author	Philip A. Loring Palash Sanyal
author_facet	Philip A. Loring Palash Sanyal
author_sort	Philip A. Loring
title	Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems
title_short	Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems
title_full	Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems
title_fullStr	Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems
title_full_unstemmed	Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems
title_sort	indicators of complexity and over-complexification in global food systems
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/12d04b406e04499bbb4114c6e07da583
work_keys_str_mv	AT philipaloring indicatorsofcomplexityandovercomplexificationinglobalfoodsystems AT palashsanyal indicatorsofcomplexityandovercomplexificationinglobalfoodsystems
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Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems

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