Leveraging Renewable Energy for Resilient Food Systems through South–South and Triangular Cooperation (HLPF 2026 Side Event)

Description

Recent global dynamics have exposed deep vulnerabilities in energy and food systems. Rising fuel prices, supply chain disruptions, and market uncertainty have increased the cost of food production, processing, storage, transportation, and distribution. In this context, energy shocks can quickly become food security shocks. Developing countries face growing food security challenges due to high energy costs, weak infrastructure, fragmented cold chains, and limited access to finance and technology. For agrarian, coastal, archipelagic, and least developed countries, resilient food systems also depend on sustainable water management, fisheries, rural livelihoods, inter-island connectivity, and climate resilience. Renewable energy offers a strategic pathway to strengthen food system resilience. Solutions such as solar-powered irrigation, renewable energy-based cold storage, clean energy for food system, and sustainable fisheries infrastructure can reduce dependence on costly energy inputs, lower production and logistics costs, cut emissions, empower local economies, and stabilize food value chains. Indonesia provides a relevant example of this broader challenge and opportunity. Its prevalence of undernourishment declined from 8.49 % (2021) to 7.21% (2024), while the share of new and renewable energy in the national energy mix increased from 12.16 % in 2021 to 14.68 % in 2024. Continued efforts are needed to further accelerate progress, including by expanding the utilization of renewable energy potential, particularly solar energy. The side event will explore how the Food-Energy-Water Nexus can be operationalized through renewable energy solutions, innovative financing, and South-South and triangular cooperation to build more resilient food systems in developing countries.