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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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2021

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

2018

Cover image for 'Food systems approaches to a sustainable future'

Food systems approaches to a sustainable future

This policy brief conveys five key messages for this year’s Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change (COP24), based on the outputs of the Global Food Security programme’s Paris-compliant healthy food systems workshop. This document outlines why a food systems approach is required to meet the Paris Agreement and the wider Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to ensure future food security for a rapidly growing global population in the face of ongoing climate change.

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

Download - Food systems approaches to a sustainable future

A food systems approach to policy for health and sustainability

This report highlights the significant benefits for policymaking from a food systems approach. Thinking systemically and at an interdisciplinary level can help ensure that challenges are tackled from multiple perspectives and in a holistic way. Such an approach provides a way of identifying win-wins, managing trade-offs and mitigating less desirable outcomes, enabling stronger policy coherence across agriculture, nutrition, health, trade, climate and the environment, in both businesses and governments around the world.

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

Download - A food systems approach to policy for health and sustainability

Resilience of the UK food system in a global context third call: Equality impact assessment

  • Document Information: PDF 156KB
  • Date: April 2018

This document provides guidance when completing an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA). The EIA template can be found at the end of this document.

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

Download - Resilience of the UK food system in a global context third call: Equality impact assessment

Resilience of the UK food system in a global context third call: Call text

  • Document Information: PDF 446KB
  • Date: April 2018

We are inviting expressions of interest from early career researchers at lecturer level or equivalent to take part in a Sandpit (2.5 days on 4-6 July 2018 followed by 2 days on 19-20 July 2018) to address the following question: How can we transform our food system so it is based on healthy and sustainable diets and how would this impact on sustainable and resilient food production and supply?

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

Download - Resilience of the UK food system in a global context third call: Call text

  • Background image copyright: valio84sl/iStock/Thinkstock

Latest blog post

Is the UK ready for plant-based diets?

The 2019 Policy Lab winners present their new report which identifies the potential impacts of the emerging trend of plant-based diets on the UK food system. Here the team give a ‘behind the scenes’ to their process of writing a Think Piece, how they successfully engaged with stakeholders, and why now is the opportune time to be discussing plant-based diets.

Read more - Is the UK ready for plant-based diets?

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