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food security

Food Security

We seek Welsh Government policy that supports the expansion of growing for local markets and the creation of new local supply chains to our cities and Valleys and within our rural areas. We seek a policy that protects our communities, particularly the least well off, from sudden food price rises and food shortages.

Other countries are preparing for emergencies and showing the way.
  • Canada and Germany are drafting comprehensive food plans that address resilience.
  • France requires cities to have a plan to feed their populations from their rural hinterlands.
  • Latvia and Sweden have a total defence plan for emergencies, with information for all citizens.
  • Sweden advises every household to have an emergency stock of food and water.
  • Lithuania and Switzerland have national food reserves/stockpiles.
  • ….. but in Wales? Nothing…(yet)!

Across the UK, we experienced panic buying and empty shelves during Covid, preventing health and emergency workers in particular from accessing food. Food poverty is already escalating as war, climate overheating, and trade barriers drive up the price of food delivered through global food supply chains. 20% of people in Wales experienced a shortage of food in 2021-2022 (IPSOS and the Trussell Trust, Hunger in Wales, 2023).

What could we do?

We’re developing a programme to work out with key stakeholders what Wales should do, but in the meantime, we’ve listed some of the things Professor Tim Lang is suggesting.

What we could be doing.

Our action
Pierhead

Food Shocks: Is Wales ready for an unstable global food system? Senedd, April 2024

We launched a conversation. Hosted by Future Generations Commissioner of Wales. Keynote speaker, Professor Tim Lang. Attended by Huw Irranca-Davis AM, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change & Rural Affairs and a cross-party panel of MSs.

Some photos of the event
Food Shocks event, Senedd, 16 April 2024: Tim Lang cracks a joke

National conversation on food security

On-line conversation for all stakeholders with Professor Tim Lang: local government, farmers/young farmers, sustainable food partnerships, resilience forums.

young girl holding veg

A vision for a new food future in Wales

Developing a story to inspire our cities, the Valleys and a new generation of farmers.

Threats and vulnerabilities
flooding in Crickhowell

Threats

Destruction of farming by extreme weather events and natural disasters driven by climate overheating - droughts, floods and fire.

Shortages of the resources needed for food growing and transport that drive up prices – oil, labour, capital, phosphate, clean water.

Aggression – wars and terrorism disrupting food transport, particularly through pinch points (e.g. Red Sea), and software/satellite systems controlling logistics.

Economic barriers – trade friction, theft/piracy, currency fluctuations.

Social disorder – panic stockpiling, rioting, looting.

Technology failures – software, infrastructure.

Health emergencies – pandemics, epidemics.

Vulnerabilities

Climate heating and biodiversity loss.

Political instability – loss of trust, deliberate spread of falsehoods, weak/incompetent government.

Economic inequalities – people on low incomes are more vulnerable to sudden increases in food prices.

Weak society – poor general health, low awareness of food risks, lack of political entitlement, lack of skills.

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