Food security: Defra discussions
UK food security is about the availability of, and access to, adequate, safe and nutritious food sufficient for an active lifestyle for all at all times, produced and brought to market as sustainably as possible. To enable this, our food supply must be reliable and resilient to shocks and crises, and ensuring food security must sit alongside other priorities such as tackling climate change and securing a healthy natural environment.
Since Defra’s July 2008 discussion paper “Ensuring UK Food Security in a Changing World”, the department has been working with individuals and organisations to check that our policy assumptions and responses remain robust in light of the global challenges we face. As part of Defra’s work to develop a shared understanding of our goal for sustainable and secure food, we will be publishing the Assessment (or indicators) of UK Food Security, shortly.
Latest news
Defra discussion paper
On 17 July 2008 Defra published a discussion paper on food security:
- Ensuring the UK’s Food Security in a Changing World (PDF 140 KB).
We need to respond to changing circumstances and this paper aimed to contribute to that debate by:
- describing the trends that have led to the current global situation;
- setting out the challenges that will continue to impact the food chain; and
- discussing whether the UK food supply chain is sufficiently resilient to withstand short term shocks and sufficiently robust to face long term challenges.
We received over 100 written responses to the discussion paper and, together with the outcomes of the workshops, the wide range of views expressed have been taken into account as we have continued to develop our policy in this area.
Stakeholder workshops
Stakeholder workshops to discuss food security issues took place in September and November 2008. At the workshops attendees were asked to discuss their views on the following issues:
- Whether we have correctly identified the challenges facing global and UK food security.
- The action the UK Government is taking globally and domestically to address these challenges and ensure food security.
- What further role the agricultural or retail and food services sectors can play in ensuring UK food security.
- Whether the draft UK food security indicators (now termed the UK Food Security Assessment) covered the correct areas and measured the right things.
Your views
Please contact us via: foodmatters.security@defra.gsi.gov.uk with your views on the UK’s food security. Whilst the formal deadline for commenting on the discussion paper has now passed, we are still happy to consider stakeholder comments and views about UK food security.
Page last modified: 4 June 2009
Page published: 17 July 2008