Report to the National Preparedness Commission ‘Just in Case: narrowing the civil food resilience gap’ (with Professor Tim Lang and Natalie Neumann)

In 2023-24 I worked as a research assistant for the UK’s leading food politics specialist Professor Tim Lang. This report was requested by the National Preparedness Commission (NPC) an independent and non-political body whose fundamental objective is to promote policies and actions to help the UK be significantly better prepared to avoid, mitigate, respond to, and recover from major shocks, threats and challenges.

The report and accompanying executive summary assesses the state of food resilience in the UK; considers the possibility and types of disruptions to the food system and public access to food in crises; reviews how existing and improved resilience policy frameworks might apply more closely to food systems; and makes recommendations for strengthening UK civil food resilience.

The report is preliminary in that, to our knowledge, there is nothing like it in the public domain. It was written for the public as well as specialists, policymakers and different sectors of the food system. It draws on anonymised interviews with over 70 people in the food industry, government, academia, Local Resilience Forums and community groups, as well as lessons learned from other countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA), and proposes eight policy reorientations to bring UK food policy into a fit state of preparedness.

Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food Policy, Centre for Food Policy, City, St George's University of London, said:

“The UK’s post-War food system, while revolutionary in its time, is no longer fit for purpose. To safeguard our future, we must prioritise resilience at every level - from local communities to national frameworks.

There is a gap between the official risk and resilience framework which presents a picture that all is OK, and the realities that people in senior and frontline roles read differently. There is too much complacency about UK food security and civil food resilience barely features at all in forward planning.

Food resilience is not just about surviving a crisis but thriving despite it. This report stands apart from current frameworks by taking into account the public’s current attitudes and understanding of food risks, and asking how civil society can be better engaged to ultimately become more resilient.”

Lord Toby Harris, Chair of the National Preparedness Commission said:

“Food security is a cornerstone of national resilience. This report highlights the urgent need for a coordinated, whole-society approach to ensure that no one in the UK is left vulnerable in the face of future crises.

The risks to our food systems are more pronounced than ever before. From floods in key farming regions to disruptions in global trade, we are facing a confluence of threats that could undermine our ability to feed ourselves.

The recommendations provide a clear path forward, and it is vital that these are considered urgently.”

Download the Executive Summary here and the main report here.