Oxford, United Kingdom – The Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced today the official public launch of the Jameel Index for Food Trade and Vulnerability. The innovative online tool equips policymakers, investors, and development practitioners with data-driven insights to better navigate the complexity of global food trade and its implications for food security in a time of mounting geopolitical, climate and economic instability.
The Jameel Index is the foundational project of the J-WAFS-led Food and Climate Systems Transformation (FACT) Alliance, a global network of over 20 leading research institutions and stakeholder organizations with support from Community Jameel.
Fewer than 10 countries provide more than 90% of the world’s food exports. The Jameel Index indicates that 55% of the world’s countries are in medium to extreme food import vulnerability.
This growing interdependence raises serious questions about systemic resilience, equity, and preparedness.
By translating complex global trade data into actionable insights, the Jameel Index aims to inform and guide both global and local strategies for enhancing food security through diversified sourcing, policy alignment, and sustainable investment.
The Jameel Index generates food trade vulnerability scores for over 180 countries, analysing risks across eight major agricultural commodities (wheat, rice, soy, maize, dairy, meat, sugar, and cooking oils).
It integrates indicators on import dependency, supply chain diversity, supply variability, and foreign exchange––offering a customisable, holistic platform to assess exposure to global food trade shocks.
According to the Jameel Index, four countries in the Middle East –Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Oman– are among the most vulnerable, alongside small island states such as Cabo Verde and Grenada. By contrast, major food exporters, including Argentina, the United States, and China remain the most resilient to shocks in global food trade.
The Jameel Index was formally unveiled at a special event titled The Jameel Index Forum: Food Trade in the Current Age of Uncertainty, hosted by the Martin School at the University of Oxford.
The event featured a presentation of the Jameel Index and a thematic address exploring the Jameel Index’s application within the evolving BRICS trade bloc, now composed of 11 major agri-food economies.
The event additionally included a panel discussion with global leaders in food systems, trade, and sustainability.
Dr. Greg Sixt, director of the FACT Alliance at J-WAFS, said: “The Jameel Index is a critical tool for the planning and investment needed to ensure that food trade can meet food security needs in an increasingly volatile global trade environment. In the coming months, the Jameel Index will integrate the impacts of future climate change scenarios on food trade, which will further enhance the Index’s value for long term future planning.”
Nader Iskandar Diab, head of programmes at Community Jameel, said: “Shielding global communities, especially the most vulnerable ones, from the impact of climate change is core to our mission at Community Jameel. We are pleased to support the development of the Jameel Index, which will equip policymakers and practitioners with the critical insights they need to strengthen food systems, improve resilience, and ultimately safeguard lives and livelihoods in a time of mounting uncertainty. We are proud to see this tool come to life as a cornerstone for more equitable and sustainable global food security.”
Dr Linus Mofor, regional advisor for sustainability & climate at UNICEF ESARO, said: “Africa continues to be disproportionately affected by the increasing adverse impacts of climate change, particularly regarding food security. With the operationalization of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, enhancing understanding of the nexus between climate change, trade, and food security is critical. The Jameel Index tool can play a powerful foundational role for an Africa-specific index in this regard.”
Paola de Almeida, food, agriculture and water portfolio head at Pegasus Capital Advisors, said: “The Jameel Index is a valuable tool that will help de-risk investments around the world. It serves as a sentinel for food and agricultural systems risk areas ensuring that money is properly deployed and allocated fit for purpose and context.”
The Jameel Index was previewed at the 2024 World Food Prize’s Borlaug Dialogue, where project co-leads Dr Greg Sixt and Professor Kenneth Strzepek, presented the framework and a preliminary version of the index.