Work

German livestock farming and food production in times of crisis: an explorative study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In times of crisis, a stable and secure food supply is essential. Despite Germany’s status as a developed economy with decades of food security, recent crises have highlighted the vulnerability of the national food supply chain. This explorative study aims to provide an overview of the current state of research on food emergency preparedness in Germany along the value chain. It also uses the example of livestock production in Germany to illustrate the challenges at the level of primary agricultural production during a blackout. A semi-systematic literature review was conducted, which identified ten relevant scientific articles and ten national security research projects. While the majority of these studies focus on the middle and downstream parts of the supply chain, primary production and upstream businesses are rarely examined. In addition, eleven expert interviews were conducted with livestock experts who identified ventilation, water and feed supply as time-critical and vulnerable areas at both the farm and supply chain levels. The results of this paper bring together scientific work and practical expert knowledge from different areas of crisis management and agricultural science, highlighting the need for future research on crisis resilience of primary production and the early stages of the value chain.

Source: The International Food and Agribusiness Management Review

DOI: 10.22434/ifamr.1203

Authors: Sebastian Kleingräber, Josef Efken

Institution: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut

Language: English

Topic: Supply Chain Resilience and Risk Management

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,078