Project description

Project background

Based on previous experience with emergency food preparedness and taking into account the conclusions drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic, this research project will investigate whether and how adjustments can be made to the design of government as well as private food stockpiling, i.e., stockpiling in private households, in order to be well prepared for future crisis situations.

Project goals

The aim of the project is to analyze existing and alternative storage strategies for public emergency food storage. First, the status quo will be evaluated in a multi-stage investigation. Among other things, this is done with a detailed cost-benefit analysis that shows the current costs of public food stockpiling in peacetime and the benefits in the event of a supply crisis. The next step is to evaluate alternative stockpiling strategies and compare them to the status quo. Based on this comparison, the different advantages and disadvantages of each alternative are discussed and it is examined whether and how adjustments can be made with regard to an efficient design of public as well as private food stockpiling.

The knowledge gained from the research project will be used to guide the future design of the state's emergency food preparedness system. The project is intended to provide sound information on possibilities for a more efficient design of public and private food stockpiling from a cost-benefit point of view.

Project results

Several publications were produced as part of the project, some of which are still in the peer review process. 

Publications

Schlussbericht ALANO - Eine Analyse alternativer Lagerungsstrategien der öffentlichen Notfallbevorratung von Lebensmitteln; Eberhardt, Katharina;  Schwärzel, Amelie; Rosenberg, Sonja; Schultmann, Frank; 2024; KIT Verlag;  DOI:10.5445/IR/1000176965; https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/1000176965

Vergleichende Analyse der staatlichen Notfallbevorratung von Lebensmitteln: Strategien und Herausforderungen in Deutschland, der Schweiz und Finnland; Eberhardt, Katharina;  Schwärzel, Amelie; Rosenberg, Sonja; Schultmann, Frank; 2024; KIT Verlag;  DOI:10.5445/IR/1000177226; https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/1000177226

Comparative Analysis of Strategies for National Food Stockpiling: A Case Study of Germany and Switzerland; Eberhardt, Katharina ; Stieler, Simon; Kaiser, Florian Klaus; Schultmann, Frank; Proceedings of the 21st ISCRAM Conference – Münster, Germany May 2024. Ed.: B. Penkert; DOI:10.59297/d3kgg415; https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/1000175239

Press reports

LEH soll zur Notfallvorsorge beitragen;  Lebensmittel Zeitung; Bender, Hanno; Ausgabe 10 2025  https://www.lebensmittelzeitung.net/politik/nachrichten/ernaehrungssicherheit-leh-soll-zur-notfallvorsorge-beitragen-182970#:~:text=Der%20Lebensmittelhandel%20und%20die%20Ern%C3%A4hrungswirtschaft,die%20staatliche%20Notfallbevorratung%20im%20Krisenfall.