Portugal has been recognised as the world's most resilient food and agricultural system, claiming first place in the Resilient Food Systems Index (RFSI).

Global food security

This ranking positions the country as a leader in global food security and sustainability, surpassing agricultural powerhouses such as France, which took second place with 76.75 points, and the United Kingdom with 76.34 points.

Portugal's success is anchored in the "Quality and Safety" pillar, where it earned an impressive 88.53 out of 100 points. The report attributes this achievement to Portugal's diverse dietary habits, stringent nutritional standards, and superior supply of high-quality proteins in its national diet—an indicator where Portugal received a perfect score of 100.

The Portuguese system was also highly commended for making healthy diets accessible to financially vulnerable populations, for its effective disaster management, and for the strong qualifications and inclusion of its agricultural workforce.

Responding to climate change

Conversely, the main weakness of the Portuguese model is its response to climate change, a pillar where it scored lowest (69.41 points).

Analysts at Economist Impact emphasise that national resilience could be substantially enhanced through stronger efforts to reduce exposure to climate risks and more assertive mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The study highlights two key gaps: limited public spending on agricultural R&D, rated at just 33.15 points, and the vulnerability of the productive infrastructure to extreme weather events.

On a broader level, the Economist Impact report warns of the profound inequalities in global food resilience, evidenced by the 42-point gap separating Portugal from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the lowest-ranked country in the table.

The document reminds the readers that global food security is highly concentrated, with just 15 nations accounting for 70% of the world's food. To reverse this vulnerability and address the climate challenge, international experts argue that countries must go beyond current intentions to invest in sustainable practices, urgently establish mandatory sectoral targets, expand the capacity of cold chains, and harmonise cross-border customs rules.