Food policy: facing the pressures

Transcription

1 Food policy: facing the pressures Tim Lang Centre for Food Policy, City University London, UK e: Talk to European Flour Millers & nabim Congress 2014 Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh May 30, 2014

2 Where are we now? Where have we come from? 2

3 The 1940s aspiration: Hot Springs Conference, Homestead Hotel, Hot Springs, Virginia USA - 18 May to 3 June Called by F D Roosevelt (US president) 44 free countries agreed 4 goals: I. raise nutrition and standards of living of the people II. improve efficiency of the production and distribution of all food and agricultural products III. Deliver better condition of rural populations IV. Contribute to expanding world economy and ensuring humanity's freedom from hunger Agreed to create FAO (happened Oct 16, 1945) 144 member states by

4 The Hot Springs vision was the Productionist Paradigm Lang & Heasman (2004) Food Wars Science + capital + distribution output less waste cheaper food health = progress This is the default policy position still today 4 4

5 What s wrong with this? Actually, production rose! But costs and externalities too! It cannot address the challenges ahead 5

6 Modern supply chains spread new culture (photo G Rayner) 6

7 Planetary Boundaries already exceeded? Source: Rockström, Steffen et al. Nature

8 The economic picture has changed FAO food price index / OECD Agricultural Outlook

9 Where now for global policy thinking? Single issue vs systems change? Food Control vs Food Democracy Ecological Public Health 9

10 Meanwhile, back in the real world. Companies in control are uneasy Long-term worries EU (the tortoise) + TNC (the hares)? 10

11 Sustainable food consumption and production emerging Govt policy advice in Europe (North), 2006ff UK 2006 Germany 1990s (2008) EU 2008 Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) & National Consumer Council German Council for Sustainable Development Sustainable Consumption-Production & Sustainable Industrial Policy Action Plan Sustainable Consumption I will if you will generic Sustainable Shopping Basket : includes food lists labels and schemes Voluntary initiatives but little food focus Netherlands 2009 Sweden 2009 UK 2009 Netherlands 2011 LNV Ministry Policy outline for achieving Sustainable Food National Food Administration (& Swedish EPA) notification to EU (withdrawn 2011) SDC, Council of Food Policy Advisors Dept Environment Food Rural Affairs (Defra) Health Council for Ministry Economic Affairs, Agriculture & Innovation Sustainable food production & consumer educ. campaigns Environmentally friendly food choices Recommend defining low impact (sustainable) healthy diet Guidelines Healthy Diet: Ecological Perspective UK 2013 Green Food Project Principles for sustainable diet 11

12 Major public policy choices are upon us Consumers - the elephant in the room? What sort of food system do we want? Stop the drift of food policy institutions? 12

13 More refined notion food sustainability: UK Sustainable Development Commission proposal (2011) Quality Taste Seasonality Cosmetic Fresh (where appropriate) Authenticity Environment Climate change Energy use Water Land use Soil Biodiversity Waste reduction Economy Food security & resilience Affordability (price) Efficiency True competition & fair returns Jobs & decent working conditions Fully internalised costs Social values Pleasure Identity Animal welfare Equality & justice Trust Choice Skills (citizenship) Health Safety Nutrition Equal access Availability Social status/ affordability Information & education Governance Science & technology evidence base Transparency Democratic accountability Ethical values (fairness) International aid & development 13

14 Barilla Centre: combining nutrition with environment gains 14

15 New Agenda emerging Sustainable diets from sustainable food systems 15

16 Towards a new agenda? Reinvigorate farming for sustainable diets + eco-system services + employment New dietary guidelines: international & national: SDGs for SDGs post 2015 Retrofit food system for ecological public health Roadmaps; frameworks; low energy infrastructure More money to primary producers: Shorter links Re-educate consumer culture: contract & converge; citizenship not consumerism 16

17 What might achieve a radical but reasonable future? Reasoned action? Events / shocks? Democratic pressures? 17

18 Thank you! 18