Food Systems for Food Security (FS4FS) Research

Food Systems for Food Security (FS4FS) is a multi-year research programme funded by Irish Aid between 2025 and 2027. The research is embedded within Concern’s FS4FS Flagship Approach. It examines barriers to economic improvement and livelihood strengthening within food systems in three countries where Concern Worldwide works: Burundi, Liberia and Niger. It explores how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), smallholder farmers and micro food businesses (especially women-owned) can participate in food markets on fairer terms in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

FS4FS is a research partnership between Concern Worldwide, the Institute of Development Studies (IDS, UK), the University of Burundi (UoB), Statistical and Research Services Consortium (SRSC) (Liberia) and LASDEL (Niger).

The research examines how SMEs work with smallholder farmers and micro food businesses to reach markets, and what shapes whether these relationships are fair and reliable. It considers factors such as finance, infrastructure, costs, information and rules.

The research aims to:

• Generate evidence on the links between market participation and equitable outcomes for marginalised people in food systems.
• Support Concern Worldwide to strengthen programmes in Burundi, Liberia and Niger by identifying practical ways to build more inclusive market linkages and strengthen livelihoods in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

The research also looks at who benefits and identifying who has power within these relationships, including whether women benefit equally. It will identify practical actions for programmes, governments and other partners to support more inclusive market relationships in fragile settings.

The work combines a review of existing evidence with learning from three country studies.

In Phase 1 (2025), a review of published and unpublished evidence as well as relevant national policies was undertaken to provide a conceptual and evidential foundation for applied research in Phase 2. A Theory of Change was refined by combining the evidence review with discussions with Concern teams and a review of programme documents (for example strategies, evaluations and results frameworks).

Phase 2 comprises of empirical work in the three countries including food system and value chain mapping, interviews and group discussions.

Phase 3 will focus on analysis and communication of findings with production of country specific and a synthesising report that compares market conditions, business characteristics (of both smallholders/micro businesses and SMEs) and the wider regulatory and economic contexts of the three study countries with concrete programmatic and advocacy recommendations. 

In Phase 4, pilot projects focused on improving market participation and equitable access for marginalised food systems actors will be designed and implemented in the study countries, with programmatic activities and approaches informed by findings from earlier phases of the project. The research team will assess the effectiveness of the pilot interventions

Phase 1 (2025) consolidated evidence and policy learning and helped refine the research framework and Theory of Change.

Phase 1 highlighted three gaps for Phase 2 to explore:

1. How the role of structural inequities, particularly gendered access to resources, asymmetric power between traders and producers, and governance fragility shape market outcomes.
2. How people use formal and informal credit, and who can access it.
3. Why policies do not always work as intended in fragile settings.

In Phase 2 (2026) the project’s empirical work in the three countries will investigate:

• The role of SMEs in supporting smallholder farmers and micro business owners to access the goods, services and markets that they need to increase engagement in food systems.

• The barriers SMEs face in providing support and opportunities to micro businesses.

• On what terms does the incorporation into food system value chains and markets empower and enable those living in poverty, particularly women, to strengthen their livelihood strategies and security.

• The existing policies, norms, and practices that enable or disenable engagement between micro businesses and SMEs.

• What policy influencing and advocacy can focus on at national, sub-national (regional, provincial, etc.), and bilateral levels to promote more enabling environments for food systems SMEs to engage with micro businesses on terms that strengthen the livelihood security of those living in extreme poverty.

FS4FS is funded by the Government of Ireland (Irish Aid). The views in programme outputs are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect Irish Aid policy.