Food security: what could we be doing to secure our food supply?

These are examples of possible measures to build food security in Wales. We are building a communications programme around this, based on the recommendations of Professor Tim Lang in his report on ‘civil food resilience’ for the National Preparedness Commission. We will present the arguments on a new website and then organise a series of stakeholder conversations to develop recommendations specific to Wales.

• National Government:
  • > Develop national food resilience plan.
  • > Support building of distributed/decentralised food system with new supply chains.
  • > Support renaissance of fruit & vegetable farming for local/regional markets.
  • > Enhance community access to land for new farmers to expand growing (cf Scottish Land Fund).
  • > Make rationing plans.
  • > Build warning systems.
  • > Engage with the public about risks.

• Regional – local authorities, Public Service Boards, regional resilience fora, sustainable food partnerships, etc:

• • > Build new farming enterprises growing food for local and regional markets: acquiring land for a new generation of young farmers; encouraging farm diversification; supporting changes in planning regulations; building new skills.
  • > Build new farmer-owned supply chains to local, regional and nearby urban markets.
  • > Develop regional resilience infrastructure – food stocks, local processing, storage, public education.

• Communities:
  • > Acquire land for local growing – allotments, community gardens, small farms for new farmers.
  • > Grow demand for local food (residents, schools). Encourage a lower-carbon vegetable-rich diet.
  • > Make good food accessible to low-income households through innovative community programmes.
  • > Prepare for emergencies: community stockpiling, distribution systems, group catering.
  • > Educate residents about food vulnerability and provide advice to households on emergency supplies.

• Households:
  • > Households that can afford it and have space should plan for emergencies, to reduce the impact of panic buying in an emergency.