Why civil food resilience matters with the Right to Grow Learning Network

Join the next Right to Grow Learning Network, hosted by Incredible Edible, for a fascinating talk with Professor Tim Lang. Tim has a special interest in how the notion of resilience (the capacity to bounce back from shock) can be applied to the UK food system.

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The UK government assures us that the UK’s food security is robust. The National Risk Register 2023 gives only one food risk of 89 facing the country. But many analysts disagree.

Even those who thought all was well (and point to lack of starvation in Covid) are now troubled by what lies ahead: climate change, geopolitics, prices, ‘weaponisation’ of food (think Ukraine, Sudan) and the fragilities of Just-in-Time logistics on which almost all food supply depends.

Much UK complacency is wrapped in its heavy reliance on imported food, a legacy of imperial past plus EU membership. Critics argue that big changes are inevitable if society wants to address challenges such as realignment of the food system with human and ecosystems health in affordable ways. If we continue to duck this, crises become more inevitable and will be incrementally more disruptive.

Does it matter where food comes from?

Does it matter if there’s a mix of under-/mis-/over-use of land for food?

Is food just a personal choice?

What are the politics on this?

Few Brits are aware of the official Govt Resilience Framework that also barely addresses food.

In this talk, Tim will also discuss whether the UK public needs to be involved in planning for shocks in the way that other countries prepare their populations. Or should it all just be left to supermarkets to steer the country through food crises? Professor Lang, and the supermarkets, think not.

The talk will draw on a study and not-yet-published report for the National Preparedness Commission which addresses the state of public food resilience and looks at different approaches to resilience, including the Right to Grow, and the impact of policy to make-or-break our food security.

There will be time at the end of the talk for a Q&A and discussion.

Tim Lang is Professor Emeritus of Food Policy at City, University of London’s Centre for Food Policy. Hill farming in Lancashire in the 1970s formed his interest in policy tensions over food, health, environment and culture which he’s worked on ever since. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health. His latest book is Feeding Britain (Pelican pb 2021). He’s currently researching UK civil food resilience.