In 2008, an unusual dynamic developed that highlighted the fragility of food systems. Samir Allen Farhoumand began collecting news and information on food costs while working in logistics. However, it was the unexpected, unexplained shortage of a vital food essential – rice – that really got hold near the close of 2007 and peaked in July 2008. The global rice crisis in the first half of the year was so severe and pervasive that Samir Allen Farhoumand and others witnessed rice stockpiling everywhere from street shops to American Costco warehouses.

Events like the worldwide rice crisis of 2008 teach us a lot about what occurs when we rely too much on ostensibly contemporary logistical systems that can't handle sudden changes or demands. Samir Allen Farhoumand has seen this scenario play out time and time again, but industries today continue to fail to learn from the past, relying on the activities of third-party actors who haven't been completely vetted or stress-tested. It's no surprise that Samir Allen Farhoumand can spot systems with a high risk of an Achilles' Heel in assumptions that collapse when it counts.

Part of the reason for the recurring errors is cost sensitivity, with people opting for the cheapest option to save money rather than paying a little more for more reliability. The bigger issue currently, according to Samir Allen Farhoumand, is generational brain drain. Too much expertise and logistics knowledge is leaving several industries at the same time, forcing businesses to recreate the wheel and make costly rookie mistakes all over again.