Food: The Staff of Life

Food is, undeniably and essentially, “the staff of life”. Our current food system, however, is economically, environmentally and socially unsustainable and contributing to a detachment from our local communities and landscapes. Through our multifaceted attempts to reduce our carbon footprint, engage with and develop habits that are more sustainable there have been some first moves towards a more sustainable future. However, we still have a lack of sustainable alternatives when it comes to the sourcing and processing of our food.

In meetings held at Scottish Parliament on 5 December 2008 and 23rd February 2009, various stakeholders and interested individuals came and shared their insight and experience in trying to tackle the food conundrum through the various programmes, experiments, and new technologies. Through these meetings there was a sense that there is still a lack of readiness to engage in change by many stakeholders. This lack or readiness runs all through the food chain from primary production through to the end consumer for a variety of reasons ranging from complacency to sheer bemusement at how to address the issues.

To achieve the necessary change in the approach that must be taken along the food chain, stakeholders must truly understand the need for change, perceive the current state as untenable and have a vision for the future and a route to get there. This requires a clear framework for brokering a common vision and developing a route map that engages the many stakeholders.

The RSA can work as a conduit between the many stakeholders involved in the food arena. It can foster debate, communication and showcase successes within the food arena and contribute to policy development on Scotland’s food and drink. There is also a tremendous opportunity for the RSA to look at food from an aspirational, visionary perspective and through that explore how we can make Scotland more sustainable in its approach to feeding itself.