food and our (local) future: key issues problematics global food system:

sustainability higher food prices

concern for food security economic crisis reshaping work & welfare;

retrenchment public sector, social security impacts on people rights and responsibilities of

households, civil society, states, responding to short term crises & shocks, longer term development of resilience strategies

for food security and entitlement - people should have access – able to grow or buy food, have

enough money, able to reach shops stocking foods needed for health at affordable prices

enjoy the choice – able to buy food that is safe, necessary, appropriate for a healthy life and for the culture they live in

be free from anxiety - about whether they will be able to eat properly

what shapes dietary patterns? at household/individual level preferences, family, culture, religion, time, skills + confidence housing? (cooking, storage facilities)

at society level food prices

vs incomes - wages, state benefits proportion of income spent on food/other priorities

where shops are, what is in them, costs school meals, workplace meals food promotion/advertising culture of ‘what is normal’

figure from Angela Blair,Sandwell

road data Ordnance Survey Mapping Crown Copyright all rights

reserved

Actual access to reasonably priced shops selling at least 8 fresh fruit and/or vegetablesfigure from Angela

Blair,Sandwellroad data Ordnance Survey Mapping

Crown Copyright all rights reserved

household food insecurity food poverty no established definition, but…

• ‘the inability to consume an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food for health, in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so’ (Dowler et al, Poverty Bites, 2001, CPAG)

• households who have to spend > 10% of annual income on food (Centre for Economics & Business Research, 2013)

need to ground in lived experiences - but recognise aspirations

acknowledge as structural, not an individual, problem

context: food prices UK (Hard to Swallow: the facts about food poverty, Centre for Economics & Business Research for Kelloggs & Trussell Trust, March 2013)

Dec 2007-2012, CPI 17.7% but food prices 28.2%;

people spending much more on food but buying less – eg vegetable expenditure 15.3%; consumption 8%

based on ONS Family Spending and Defra Family Food survey data, by Centre for Economics & Business Research, for Kelloggs & Trussell Trust

4 out of 5 teachers say children coming to school hungry

poorest 10% spend almost 24% income on food, while richest 10% spend 4%

comparison Minimum Income Standard April 2013 (Hirsch, 2013 www.jrf.org.uk )

and out of work benefits

and wage income

how do people cope now? budgeting strategies: shopping, cooking and

eating differently. turning to friends and family; buying cheaper food, buying

poorer quality food, frozen food; growing more food. reduce variety; cannot afford to experiment (Dowler et al, 2011; Hossein et al 2011; Goode, 2012).

households have always used multiple practices and systems - including changing what they are eating and their sources of food, but this is now more marked

report based on fieldwork (ongoing) in 10 low & middle income countries: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkino Faso, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Indonesia, Pakistan, Viet Nam, Zambiahttp://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/rr-squeezed-food-price-volatility-year-one-230513-summ-en.pdf

what we know… many asking for help with food growing response local councils, faith groups, increasingly involved:

helping support food banks and projects investigating needs

CAB and others see households left with no money little evidence of fraud, duplicity evolving terminology; food aid claimants food poor

or food insecure avoid losing sight of long-term drivers & experiences avoid entrenchment inadequate systems

gaps in evidence & research: who is likely to be food insecure?

low income households (<60% median income; lowest income decile)

households paid the NMW or claiming benefits households facing specific cuts and sanctions households in areas where good quality food at

reasonable prices is particularly hard to find food expenditure? foods bought? food experience? regional variations in costs; impact household size, disability

quality of school or workplace meals

HUMAN RIGHT TO FOODstates are required to respect, protect, fulfil food rights; non-state actors’ have responsibilities too state should not impede access to adequate food state should prevent individuals or enterprises

(including corporate actors) depriving people of access

state should strengthen people’s access to resources to ensure their means to a livelihood and food security – levels of income, benefits etc

these are obligations not recommended options

Food Justice: report of the Food Ethics Council Food & Fairness Inquiry social justice omitted debates over food & farming

Inquiry: 14 members; evidence (100 submissions); 3 sessions expert witnesses; deliberative process

explicit ethical framework: fair shares - equality of outcomes – look at

distribution of wellbeing fair play – equality of opportunity – look at access to the

means of bringing about outcomes fair say – autonomy and voice – look at freedom to lead the

life I value & influence decisions

each examined for: food security, sustainability, public health

need to get to sustainable ‘just’ food and nutrition people’s rights to produce, consume food respected socially & environmentally sustainable ways of obtaining

healthy food through purchase, production, earning sustainable ways and means of researching, producing,

distributing food; grounded in/ governed by just, equitable, moral, ethical social values

food for health should be obtained in ways that uphold human dignity

solutions to problems are ‘joined up’

sustainable food systems contribute to high levels of wellbeing within healthy,

just societies, that live within environmental limits

fairness test:people should have enough money to live at a recognised, agreed, minimum decent level, and not have to rely on charity to eat incomes should meet the consensually defined Minimum

Income Standard (checked annually) ( Living Wage) MIS should be used nationally and locally, by government

and in public & private sectors, for wage levels, social protection benefits, and other policies (e.g. fines)

the principle and practice can be endorsed and supported by civil society, trades unions, faith groups, general public

change can be achieved through campaigning, advocacy and example, as well as legislation

fairness testpeople should be supported in building resilience in ecosystems, common knowledge and spirit, in relation to food, whether in a specific locality, or nationally.

‘resilience’ has many meanings: key notion is building/sustaining capacity to withstand shocks, erosions and uncertainties. It might include increasing self-sufficiency, taking stock of what is held and needed, rather than what is desired, tooling people up to think & act differently.