SDG-2: Food and Nutrition Security in BRICS Countries: Do GVC Participation and Carbon Footprints Matter?

This study explores the complex interplay between global value chain (GVC) participation, environmental sustainability, proxied by carbon footprints and food and nutrition security (FNS) across BRICS economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) from 2000 to 2023. Anchored in the sustainable development theoretical framework, the analysis incorporates structural variables such as agricultural productivity, GDP per capita, government expenditure on agriculture, and access to clean energy and electricity. Employing a balanced panel dataset, we estimated both pooled and country-specific Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions to assess aggregate effects and country-level heterogeneity. A temporal decomposition contrasts pre-pandemic (2000–2018) and pandemic-era (2019–2023) dynamics. Findings reveal that agricultural productivity and GDP per capita are consistently significant and positive drivers of FNS, reinforcing their foundational roles. However, GVC participation demonstrates a negative association with FNS in the pooled sample, particularly significant in India, suggesting trade-induced vulnerabilities. Carbon footprints show no effect in the aggregate model but are positively associated with FNS in India and South Africa, possibly reflecting industrialisation-driven improvements in food systems. The COVID-19 pandemic altered several relationships, dampening the impact of GVC participation and agricultural productivity while reinforcing the role of GDP per capita. Notably, an interaction effect indicates that the positive marginal impact of GVC participation on FNS increases with higher carbon intensity, raising concerns about potential trade-offs between nutrition gains and environmental degradation. These results underscore the need for differentiated policy strategies in BRICS countries that enhance domestic resilience, balance trade integration with ecological priorities, and promote inclusive food systems. Future research should investigate non-linearities in the trade–environment–nutrition nexus to inform sustainable development planning.