What is healthy food security?

Soil Association’s vision of good food for all, produced with care for the natural world, lies at the heart of food security.

Whilst the term can mean slightly different things to different people, what matters is whether what is being produced is the best use of our land to meet the needs of a healthy diet, alongside mitigating the risks of changing climates and biodiversity loss.

The Global Food Security Index examines food security comprehensively, considering 3 core issues of:

• affordability

• availability

• quality of food worldwide

The UK currently ranks 17th in the world. Whilst most other countries are improving their score, in contrast, the UK’s rating is decreasing.

What does healthy food security look like?

In order to ensure healthy and resilient food and farming systems in the UK, we must become more self-sufficient in delivering what the population needs for a healthy diet.

Healthy food security means phasing out industrial livestock systems, which increase risks of pandemics and require routine preventative use of antibiotics for stressed farm animals. Antibiotic resistance is a major global threat. Food production that doesn’t safeguard the natural world is not secure.

Healthy food security does not mean returning to paying farmers just to be farmers or maximising yields of commodity crops (like maize) that do not contribute to healthy food security. It raises important questions about whether we should continue to produce livestock feed on more than half of UK cropland, while also exacerbating the climate and nature crises by importing soy for livestock that drives deforestation and habitat destruction overseas.

Trade still has a role to play because produce should be grown where its climate and nature impact is lowest. Farmers must be supported to protect and improve the health of their soils to be more resilient in the face of extreme weather, like flooding and drought.

What needs to be considered in the UK?

Food security in the UK depends on more than how much food we produce. It requires a food system that can withstand shocks, support farmers and deliver healthy diets for everyone. Key considerations include:

• the diversity of UK farming – whether what we grow and rear in the UK is varied enough to provide a healthy, balanced diet if imports are disrupted

• the resilience of local and regional food supply chains – how we strengthen and sustain local, direct and shorter supply networks so they are part of the food system long-term, not just during crises

• the impact of farming and food systems on future risks – whether current practices are increasing the likelihood of crises such as climate-driven droughts, biodiversity loss and pollinator decline, which directly threaten food security

What can be done?

Creating a resilient and sustainable food system, which is less exposed to short term shocks and restores a safe climate, abundant nature and good nutrition, has always been core to our charitable aims at Soil Association.

We are calling for a farmer-led ten-year transition to agroecology to balance the priorities of climate, nature and healthy food production. The French think tank IDDRI’s Ten Years for Agroecology in Europe model shows that healthy food security and an effective response to the climate and nature emergencies can indeed go hand-in-hand.

Much can be achieved alongside the Agriculture Bill as it stands. We need to work together to ensure that new trade deals do not undermine UK farming and food standards. It needs to give farmers the advice and support they need to transition their businesses to more ecological, regenerative systems, using public procurement to give much greater market support to UK farmers making this transition.

How can you help?

If you're a farmer or grower, find out how you can prepare your farm for organic conversion or discover nature-friendly farming methods.

If you're an individual, look at our latest campaigns and discover our Food for Life programme for caterers, schools and communities. You can also support this work by donating to the Soil Association, helping us campaign for a fairer, more secure food system for everyone.