Assessing the impact of agrifood system interventions on resilience: A rapid evidence assessment

Despite a large body of literature on resilience measurement, there is a need to explore which types of and sets of interventions are most suitable and (cost-)effective for resilience, by accounting for sub-national contexts, varying exposures to shocks and stresses, and the enabling or hindering conditions that determine their effectiveness. A Rapid Evidence Assessment was conducted, specifically focusing on interventions targeting the agrifood sector, which is responsible for ensuring food security and providing livelihoods for large segments of the population. We present a synthesis of both quantitative and qualitative evidence, highlighting knowledge gaps and exploring the interplay between contextual factors, design elements, enhanced resilience capacities and realized resilience outcomes. The results indicate that resilience-enhancing interventions are particularly effective in strengthening absorptive and adaptive resilience capacities, especially via cash-based interventions and agriculture production measures. The analysis highlights how bundling interventions, along with the consideration of enabling conditions such as the timing and frequency of transfers and the socio-demographic characteristics of beneficiaries, can enhance their effectiveness. While this work reveals an important evidence gap that necessitates further research, the results offer first valuable insights for better targeting resilience-building interventions and identifying context-specific response options that increase resilience, and ultimately address food insecurity and broader wellbeing in crisis settings.