Government has ‘moral obligation’ to support UK farming – MPs say

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee says the UK ‘can play a leading role’ in securing global food supplies up 2050, by when world food output will need to have doubled to meet demand.

Credit: © FARMERS GUARDIAN please contact 01772 799445.

In a report published on Tuesday, it calls for an ‘urgent increase’ of £100 million in spending on public sector food and farming research to tackle ‘existing weaknesses in the UK food system’.

The committee urges the Government to ensure the UK to make the most of its temperate climate and the natural advantages this gives it for producing food.

But it does not favour targets for food production and recognises that Defra cannot command farmers to increase output of specific commodities.

MPs urge Defra to provide ‘clear leadership, and guidance on the nature and size of the challenge’.

The report, ‘Securing food supplies up to 2050: the challenges for the UK’ says the Department must concentrate on building capacity in the food and farming industries so that they can respond to market signals in ways that will reduce the risk of food shortages.

The report emphasises that producing sufficient food is only part of the challenge. The MPs notes that increases in production will have to take place in the context of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuel-derived inputs, and conserving soil and water.

The report says that consumer engagement will be vital if Defra is to achieve its vision for the UK food system.

The report does not advocate food self-sufficiency for the UK but emphasises the importance of strong trading relationships with a variety of countries.

Defra’s response to the challenge of securing food supplies must take place in a European and global context, it says.

It calls for the focus of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy to be on sustainable food production.

“The long-term securing of the UK’s food supplies is a fundamental responsibility of Government,” EFRA chairman Michael Jack said.

“In addressing this challenge Defra must ensure that the nation’s farmers have the support and resources they need to secure long-term sustainable increases in agricultural production.

“If people go hungry then political stability goes out of the window. This is a key lesson that Defra must learn from last year’s food price hike when some countries ran short of food. What happened showed just how fine the line is between full supermarket shelves and empty stomachs.

“The UK can play a leading role both in Europe and globally in making sure that our farmers and food industry can contribute effectively towards meeting the challenge of a world that will need to double its food output by 2050 whilst coping with the pressures of climate change as well as global plant and animal diseases.

“This challenge will not be met unless Defra properly safeguards our world-class agricultural science base.”