New Report Calls For Urgent Transformation Of Uk Food System By 2050

Rapid and urgent action connected nutrient is needed if nan UK is to reboot its flagging economy, prevention nan NHS billions, guarantee nationalist nutrient security, and meet ambiance commitments, according to a caller report.

The Roadmap for Resilience: A UK Food Plan for 2050, calls for extremist transformation, astatine a standard and gait not seen since nan Second World War. It says if we do not enactment now, alteration will beryllium forced upon america by expanding pressures and nan UK will lurch from situation to crisis, including from nutrient value shocks, ambiance disasters and weakening economical productivity.

Acting now however, allows nan UK to determine its ain future, and must see 3 halfway transformations: much resilient farming, smarter onshore use, and healthier diets. Government must return nan lead pinch "decisive and coordinated action", says nan report, and proposes 10 cardinal recommendations and a timeline to 2050.

The study is published arsenic renewed attraction is being fixed to world nutrient strategy transformation, including done nan EAT-Lancet Commission's latest study released earlier this month.

"Achieving this translator has nan powerfulness to present a nutrient strategy wherever everyone successful nan UK has entree to patient and sustainable food," said Neil Ward, Co-lead of nan Agri-Food for Net Zero (AFN) Network+, which coordinated nan report, and a professor astatine nan University of East Anglia (UEA). 

"Through these 3 transformations we tin trim unit connected nan NHS and thief group lead healthier and much economically progressive lives. Nature will flourish, emissions will autumn and farming will beryllium much resilient and unafraid for early generations," he said.

"Pressures from ambiance change, world shocks and mediocre diets mean important alteration to our nutrient strategy is inevitable complete nan adjacent 50 years. However, if we enactment now, we still person clip to style our future, and positively effect nationalist security, nationalist health, economical maturation and ambiance change. Our model to enactment is constrictive though – if we do not, alteration will beryllium forced connected america by crisis," added Professor Ward.

The study had input from 150 scientists and manufacture professionals from crossed investigation institutes, farming, charities and nan nutrient industry, and is nan culmination of 3 years of activity by nan AFN Network+, a task funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), pinch 3,000 members and led by a group of 11 universities and investigation institutes.

A strategy nether pressure

The study highlights that nan UK nutrient strategy is simply a important root of nationalist greenhouse state emissions and will go nan largest root of emissions by nan 2040s. Meanwhile, mediocre diets costs nan system £268 cardinal a twelvemonth successful nonstop healthcare costs arsenic good arsenic indirect costs specified arsenic debased economical activity, and 7.2 cardinal group now unrecorded successful food-insecure households – an summation of 80% successful conscionable 3 years. Adding to these challenges, nan UK is susceptible to proviso concatenation disruptions, since it is limited connected imports for 50% of vegetables and 85% of fruit, contempt these being basal to patient diets.

Transformation crossed 3 cardinal areas

The Roadmap calls for translator successful 3 cardinal areas:

• Stronger, much resilient farming: Supporting farmers to accommodate to ambiance change, diversify business and turn much fruit, vegetables and wholegrains, reducing nan request for imports.
• Smarter, much integrated onshore use: Expanding woodland screen from 14% to astatine slightest 20% of UK onshore by 2050, restoring peatlands and readying onshore usage regionally to equilibrium food, quality and climate.
• Healthier diets made easier: Making nutritious, sustainable nutrient nan easy and affordable option, while reducing reliance connected imported and high-emission foods.

Urgent actions for government

The authors group retired 10 privilege actions, urging nan authorities to activity successful business pinch farmers, nutrient companies and section authorities. These include:

• Place nutrient information connected a par pinch power security, arsenic basal to nationalist security
• Set targets for dietary alteration and livestock numbers
• Create a National Food System Transformation Committee reporting to nan Prime Minister
• Further betterment cultivation subsidies to prioritise emissions simplification and c sequestration, alongside sustainable accumulation and biodiversity

Tim Benton, Co-lead of nan AFN Network+ and a professor astatine nan University of Leeds, said: "Every twelvemonth of hold makes translator harder and much costly. We telephone connected each parties, nationalist institutions, manufacture and civilian nine to merge to thrust forwards nan transformations highlighted successful this Roadmap. Change is coming to our nutrient system, but really we style it is our prime to make."

Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of UKRI's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said: "Agri-food remains 1 of nan UK's astir stubborn sources of emissions.

"The AFN Network+ has brought together a powerful organization of investigation leaders and stakeholders crossed UK agri-food, 3rd assemblage organisations, policymakers and agri-food manufacture professionals to tackle this situation and now delivered a clear roadmap for change.

"Our finance has resulted successful a bequest of insights which will thief style early onshore usage and nutrient strategy, supporting nan UK's way to nett zero."

The Roadmap for Resilience: A UK Food Plan for 2050 was developed by nan AFN Network+, drafting connected insights from crossed its organization of much than 3,000 members. The AFN Network+ is jointly led by UEA, nan University of Leeds, University of York, and nan University of nan West of England.