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The UK cross-government programme on food security research

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Publications, reports, resources and reviews from the Global Food Security programme.

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2022

Future Trade Scenarios and the Impact on Agricultural Economies

  • Document Information: PDF 4MB
  • Date: July 2022

This report from the International Sustainable Temperate Agriculture Network (TempAg) uses a scenario exercise to explore how economic, social, environmental and political drivers may impact future trade, and how these in turn might shape agricultural economies, and their research agendas, globally.

TempAg was an international collaborative research network established to increase the impact of agricultural research in the world’s temperate regions. The network was established in April 2015 with support from the OECD Global Science Forum. The network’s activity was jointly coordinated by the Global Food Security (GFS) programme and INRA (National Institute of Agricultural Research, France).

Download - Future Trade Scenarios and the Impact on Agricultural Economies

A tool in the toolkit: Can true cost accounting remove siloed thinking about food loss and waste?

This Think Piece explores the social, economic and environmental costs of food loss and waste. The report sets out policy recommendations to reduce the food that is wasted throughout the food system based around the principles of True Cost Accounting.

This work was funded by the Global Food Security (GFS) programme as part of the GFS Policy Lab, in which Early Career Researchers compete to write a policy-facing report for the programme.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - A tool in the toolkit: Can true cost accounting remove siloed thinking about food loss and waste?

2021

Food Systems Transformation: What’s in the policy toolbox?

This report from the ‘Transforming UK Food Systems Programme’ presents an overarching map of policy levers, a simplified categorisation of types of policy lever, and analysis of policy lever interactions, offering a common ‘toolbox’ organising framework to be used to support cross-system conversations, research and action.

Download - Food Systems Transformation: What’s in the policy toolbox?

The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: multi-stakeholder dialogue

  • Document Information: PDF 6MB
  • Date: July 2021

This scenarios sub-report summarises the outputs of a multi-stakeholder dialogue based on the scenarios in the GFS report The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: potential scenarios.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: multi-stakeholder dialogue

The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: supporting evidence

  • Document Information: PDF 4MB
  • Date: May 2021

This sub-report provides an overview of the evidence supporting the plausibility of the scenarios in the GFS report The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: potential scenarios.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: supporting evidence

The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: potential scenarios

  • Document Information: PDF 8MB
  • Date: May 2021

This scenarios report is based on the outputs of a cross-stakeholder scenarios exercise exploring the role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements. The four plausible food system scenarios highlight the potential opportunities, challenges and trade-offs that could arise during food system transformation, with the aim of stimulating thought and discussion about the future of the UK food system to inform long-term decision-making.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - The role of the UK food system in meeting global agreements: potential scenarios

Is the UK ready for plant-based diets?

This Think Piece explores the emerging trend of plant-based diets and their impact on the UK food system. The report identifies what steps are needed to support the transition, capitalising on the benefits and minimising the risks the trend presents.

This work was funded by the Global Food Security (GFS) programme as part of its Policy Lab, in which Early Career Researchers compete to write a policy-facing report for the programme.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Is the UK ready for plant-based diets?

2020

Building back better for increased resilience of the UK food system to future shocks

This report details findings from a cross stakeholder workshop held by BBSRC and GFS. The report highlights the effects of COVID-19 and shocks the UK food system could face in the future, as well as exploring what a resilient UK food system would look like. The report identifies the key research priorities needed to build UK food system resilience and explores how UKRI can help deliver these.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Building back better for increased resilience of the UK food system to future shocks

Cover of the report Mapping the UK Food System

Mapping the UK food system

This is the inaugural report from the ‘Transforming the UK food system for healthy people and a healthy environment’ SPF programme. The report maps and quantifies the UK food system and details the value of the agri-food sector and the multiple challenges it faces.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Mapping the UK food system

Low-agency population interventions to reduce meat consumption

This report explores how low-agency population interventions can reduce meat consumption across the UK population. It contains an umbrella review of 44 systematic reviews to synthesise all the available evidence for the effectiveness of low-agency population interventions at reducing meat selection, purchase, or consumption. A critical assessment of the evidence is used to discuss the wider insights gained and the implications for policy and practice.

This work was funded by the Global Food Security (GFS) programme as part of its Policy Lab, in which postdoctoral researchers compete to write a policy-facing report for the programme. (You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Low-agency population interventions to reduce meat consumption

Multifunctional landscapes in the UK: tools for policy and practice

This report explores how UK landscapes can be managed to deliver multiple services, ranging from food production and climate control to biodiversity and recreation. It synthesises the current state of knowledge on multifunctional landscapes in the UK and provides a set of recommendations that can be used to inform future UK agricultural policy.

This work was funded by the Global Food Security (GFS) programme as part of its Policy Lab, in which postdoctoral researchers compete to write a policy-facing report for the programme.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Multifunctional landscapes in the UK: tools for policy and practice

2019

Exploring the resilience of the UK food system in a global context

This policy brief, produced by GFS’ major interdisciplinary research programme ‘Resilience of the UK Food System in a Global Context’ (GFS-FSR), describes the importance of enhancing the resilience of the UK’s food system and how resilience thinking could be applied to the UK food system.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Exploring the resilience of the UK food system in a global context

Horizon scanning report: Game-changing developments in the context of food security and future research priorities

Game-changing developments in the context of food security and future research priorities

This report details a priority questions exercise conducted by GFS’ Science Advisory Group. Findings highlight the latest contextual developments and research advances relevant to the food system, before drawing out a list of the top priority research questions for food security that could be addressed through interdisciplinary research.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Game-changing developments in the context of food security and future research priorities

Transformative innovation across food supply chains to improve decision-making

Transformative innovation across food supply chains to improve decision-making

This report investigates how transformative innovation can lead to ‘business unusual’ in food supply chains, bringing together academia, industry, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), non-government organisations (NGOs) and policy makers. It examines the challenges to industry and business that technologies could address, and has provided future priorities for research, industry, and policy.

(You can view PDF documents by downloading a PDF reader. We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers.)

Download - Transformative innovation across food supply chains to improve decision-making

  • Background image copyright: valio84sl/iStock/Thinkstock

Latest blog post

The food system is a vital part of the climate solution

The UN recently stated that it finds ‘no credible pathway to 1.5C in place’ with current global commitments to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. In anticipation of the conclusion of COP27, here is a recap from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released in April 2022. This looks at possible solutions and mitigation strategies in response to the changing climate, including what role the food system can play in our fight against climate change.

Read more - The food system is a vital part of the climate solution

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