Britain Environment Secretary Hilary Benn calls for 'radical rethink' of UK food production

Britain must address climate change's threat to global food supplies and reduce consumption and waste, says Environment secretary


A "radical rethink" of the way the UK produces and consumes food is needed, Britain environment secretary Hilary Benn warned today as the U.K. government published an assessment outlining the threats to the security of what we eat.

The assessment showed that future global food supplies could be threatened by the impacts of climate change on where crops can grow, increases in the incidence of animal diseases and water shortages.

It also issued a warning over the depletion of fish stocks around the world, as well as the impacts on the natural world of expansion of crops grown for fuels and a growing population eating more.

But with rising yields in cereals and uncropped land that can be brought into production, the UK can contribute to global food security, the assessment said.

Across the world, it has been estimated that production will have to rise by 70% by 2050 to feed a global population of 9 billion.

The government has committed almost £1bn to ensuring food security for poor countries and funding research into sustainable agriculture in the developing world, according to the study.

The assessment is published alongside an update on last year's Food Matters report from the Cabinet Office on rising food prices, the problems of unhealthy eating and the environmental impacts of what we eat.

The environment department said a number of steps had been taken including a voluntary scheme for restaurants to put calorie counts on their meals and £10m for anaerobic digestion projects to turn waste into energy.

Further action needs to be taken on areas such as reducing waste from food, which costs each household an average of £420 a year in the UK, and even more — £610 — for families with children.

Eliminating food waste would cut carbon emissions equivalent to taking a fifth of the UK's cars off the roads, according to the environment department.

Ways to cut food waste could include replacing the "bogof" — buy one get one free — offers with half price offers, along with hints, tips and recipes to help consumers make the most of the cheap food.

Clear advice on best before dates and making sure a range of pack sizes is available could also help.

The government is also keen to cut packaging from food by 2020 to as little as is needed "to do the job" and to promote reuse and recycling.

SOURCE : guardian.co.uk