Although leading global food producers set the pace, even the most robust nations appear vulnerable as the world aims to feed an estimated 10 billion people by 2050.

Recent years have revealed how difficult it is to maintain consistent food production and distribution amid climate change, trade barriers, and international conflicts.

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Nonetheless, a number of countries demonstrate strong resilience: Portugal tops the ranking for the world’s most robust food systems, with France and the UK following closely, based on a 60-country index by Economist Impact.

The report evaluated nations using four criteria: food affordability, availability, quality and safety, alongside their ability to handle climate risks.

This analysis is part of Economist Impact’s Food Imperative initiative, an extensive project assessing what food systems require to be prepared for future challenges.

However, the findings reveal that even the highest-scoring systems in the index do not exceed 80 points out of 100.

The area with the lowest average score—56.43—is climate risk responsiveness, despite widespread efforts in many countries to implement sustainable agricultural practices.

Within this category, the UK leads with a score of 71.27, while Portugal ranks third at 69.41.

Conversely, Romania and Hungary are identified as the EU’s least resilient countries in this assessment.

Which countries lead food production?

Only 15 countries are responsible for producing 70% of the global food supply, with France and Germany the sole European nations included in this group.

Meanwhile, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Poland rank among the top exporters of food worldwide.

The research indicates that a limited number of countries and key trade routes underpin the majority of global food security.

Food systems that are resilient play a vital role in providing access to affordable, nutritious diets.

In Europe, the expense of maintaining a healthy diet corresponds to 2.42% of average GDP per capita—one of the lowest levels recorded internationally.

Food loss remains a challenge as well: 13.2% of agricultural products never reach retail outlets, while household-level waste accounts for 19% of total food discarded.