Are we finally embracing the complexity of our food system?
By Costanza Poggi, Managing Director
The environment sector has been talking about food a lot. This isn’t really a surprise. Food cuts across so many interests, priorities and sectors: health, climate change, nature loss, trade, agriculture, fishing and, of course, growth. As we get sicker, further deplete our struggling natural environment and farmers take to the streets to voice discontent, policymakers, businesses and campaigners are being much more explicit about how diverse interests interact and often compete with one another. And this is a good thing.
It has strengthened the resolve of those in the sector already campaigning on environment and food policy to look at the system as a whole, to recognise its competing priorities and call for solutions that deliver better outcomes for both human and planetary health. The last 12 months have seen the launch of businesses like the Planeatry Alliance and Bramble Partners to help navigate this complexity, as well as growing collaborations, including supermarkets committing to align with Planetary Health Diet guidelines.
This approach has also led to a range of policy consultations that cut across multiple Government departments and require the interaction and collaboration of many different groups – farmers, environment and climate change advocates, food retailers, health campaigners and more. The recent launches of the Land Use Framework, National Food Strategy and Farming Roadmap have kickstarted a national conversation about how we better use our land and resources.
Finally, stakeholders are realising that the solutions they put forward can no longer deliver on one priority – whether that is health, the environment or food production. Different groups that have operated somewhat in isolation, sometimes even at odds with one another, need to be much clearer on the implications of what they call for on other parts of the system – or face pushback. This applies to many of the UK’s strategic priorities – whether it’s food security, housebuilding or energy infrastructure development.
So what can do we do?
Find solutions that meet competing priorities: Rather than approaching issues from a single perspective, businesses and campaigners should look for opportunities to contribute to multiple goals at once. For example, the Enrich the Earth campaign is demonstrating how Government policy to create a circular economy for food and garden waste could cut costs for farmers, boost soil health aiding long term food security, and create economic growth.
Accept you won’t win on everything: For nature and climate advocates, the challenge over coming years will be to balance calling for restoring nature and reducing emissions while accepting that food production, alongside other needs such as energy infrastructure and housing development, will remain a political priority. When it comes to land, multifunctional use that enables the balancing of multiple priorities will be key – whether that’s carbon sequestration and nature recovery practices on farmed landscapes, introducing nature-based flood defences or combining renewable energy generation with livestock grazing.
Build coalitions: We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: partnering with other organisations that share common goals can test your thinking and enhance your credibility. Whether it’s sustainable farming groups working with environmentalists to promote regenerative agriculture or food producers working with public health advocates to improve nutritional standards, collaboration is key.
Accept complexity and long-term commitment: Ultimately, there are no quick fixes to the food and environmental crises. Policymakers, businesses, and the public must be prepared for a national conversation that evolves over time. We should accept that an engagement strategy may need to be planned over a longer period of time in order to develop all the relevant policy thinking and research before presenting ideas to Government.