Participatory systems modeling of food value chains to improve food and nutrition security under climate change

The threats posed by climate change to food and nutrition security are growing, and the need to develop actions to both mitigate and adapt to climate change is increasingly important. A systems approach to governance that involves stakeholders at the scale of food value chains can address important knowledge gaps between climate change and food and nutrition security outcomes, and facilitate identification and implementation of high-leverage ex ante mitigation actions. Participatory Systems Modeling (PSM) is a methodological approach to identify and assess priority actions that combines facilitated stakeholder discussions with the development of quantitative inter-temporal systems simulation models. PSM has potential benefits deriving from the involvement of stakeholders, the application of well-developed quantitative systems modeling methods, flexibility, low cost and linkages to other systems-oriented frameworks. We propose a roadmap for scaling PSM through multi-context case studies and further development of standardized best practices.