Resilient Foods for Preventing Global Famine: a Review of Food Supply Interventions for Global Catastrophic Food Shocks Including Nuclear Winter and Infrastructure Collapse

Abstract

Global catastrophic risks, including nuclear war, volcanic eruptions, and infrastructure collapse, threaten the food system. A nuclear war or large volcanic eruption could cause widespread crop failure from sunlight reduction, while events like nuclear electromagnetic pulses or pandemics could disrupt industrial food production and distribution. Existing global food storage is insufficient. This review examines interventions to maintain food production and prevent mass starvation in these scenarios. It assesses the scalability, affordability, and deployability of diverse food production methods across land, water, and industrial systems. Redirecting existing crops from animal feed and biofuels to human consumption, along with reducing food waste, offer immediate gains. Land-based solutions include utilizing grass and crop residues for ruminant livestock, relocating cold-tolerant crops to less-affected regions, expanding greenhouse cultivation, increasing cropland area, producing leaf protein concentrate, and cultivating mushrooms. Water-based options include increased fishing, microalgae production, seaweed farming, and bivalve mariculture. High-tech solutions, like producing single-cell protein from methane or converting biomass to sugar, offer potential for food production independent of agricultural conditions. Policy recommendations include national food security plans addressing these risks, investment in resilient food technologies, and international cooperation. – AI-generated abstract.