Research Focuses and Trends in Food Security: Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, a bibliometric analysis was conducted on the scientific production of food security research for the last 30 years. The study was motivated by the growing body of knowledge regarding global crises such as COVID‐19 and climate change, as well as the rise of new research frontiers such as digital agriculture and climate‐smart innovations, which all point to a change in scholarly focus. The results show that the environmental science category published the most articles, and a significant growth of articles was seen for food science and technology, agronomy, plant sciences, as well as green and sustainable science and technology. Similarly, we observed a shift of food security research to more integrating technology‐based solutions to address food security challenges. The results indicate that implementing digital technologies in conjunction with smart agriculture, developing inclusive food policies, guaranteeing fair trade practices, and strengthening social protection initiatives will contribute to the development of resilient, sustainable, and just food systems. The circular economy's tenets will also help reduce food waste, enhance urban food security, and boost shock resistance in order to attain global food security and sovereignty. Future studies could focus on identifying the main obstacles to digital inclusion in food systems, how ICT solutions can be developed and used to empower underserved communities, and how the circular economy can be effectively implemented to significantly reduce food loss and waste in the food system.