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.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The programme "A Farm for the Future" broadcast in the BBC2 Nature series and available on i-Player provided an excellent summary of the issues facing us as a society over the security of our food supply. There is a potential crash coming. There have been food riots in the last few years when food prices rose extraordinarily due to market shortages and rising oil prices. The recession may temporarily have put a stop to that as prices have fallen again. However, the recent launch of One Planet Food supported by the Carnegie Trust points to the fact that if the whole world consumed resources at the rate we do in the UK we would need three planets to support us. This is not sustainable and we are sleepwalking towards a food crisis. Our native agriculture became industrialised and oil based probably as a result of the Second World War. Community, family and local have been eroded by our social and economic models. The current model will not be sustainable for very much longer and then we will be in deep trouble as a society where the most fundamental need - food - may not be adequately met. We desperately need new food production and consumption models that will give us greater food security and sustainability. This isn't a hippy-ish tree hugging view but a cold blooded economic view based on the human and natural resources that are available to support us. We need to define sustainability in resource terms and not simply financial terms as these ultimately are the things we depend on. There is hope and all is not doom and gloom but we need to supply tangible ways of producing and consuming that society can buy in to and adopt. This will require radical thought from us all, government, business, communities and individuals to define and deliver a sustainable lifestyle for the future. There is a big risk that the disadvantaged in society will be the big losers if things do crash and that would be taking us backwards socially. Can we make the change - break away from the cheap and convenient throw away culture that wastes 40% of what we produce? Can we take the oil out of production and distribution? Can we make agriculture attractive as a livelihood and way of life to replace the ageing workforce? Can we get our children to re-engage with food, its source and role in their wellbeing? We can and must!
ReplyDeleteAs Steve said Farming for the Future is a good start. How do we get life back into industrially farmed fields once oil has become too expensive? Do we end up with common ground again? With an ageing population how do enough of us return to farming to sustain ourselves. How do we make it inclusive, otherwise we will have social unrest.
ReplyDeleteYes we need to understand food but we also need to understand biodiversity and as the programme says gardening. What part can our gardens play? Will our parks end up as common ground? What other skills will need to be local, e.g. glassblowers for bottles, Hessian sacks, maintenance of our tools etc.