Children in vegetable garden having fun

Better Together: Integration and Inclusion in Food Policy Reform

Fragmentation has long described the UK’s approach to our food system. And with the challenges facing our food system increasing—from climate impacts threatening production to rising food insecurity and diet-related illness—this approach is failing to deal with these interconnected issues. But could 2025 mark a turning point for UK food policy? At the end of…

healthy lunch box

Bold Politics, Better Food: The Recipe for Good Health

The numbers in the UK are staggering: Unhealthy diets cost an estimated £268 billion annually. Some 2.8 million people are out of work due to diet-related illness. Two-thirds of our calories come from ultra-processed foods that are also high in fat, sugar and salt. And three decades of government effort to address the issue involving…

people sharing a meal

A Legal Right to Food: Tackling Root Causes of Food Insecurity

As a food systems researcher, I’m deeply invested in transforming food and farming practices to work better for everyone. My recent food systems manifesto outlines key priorities—from sustainable farming to healthy food environments. But underlying all of these is a more fundamental need: to ensure access to adequate, nutritious food as a basic right. This…

Close-up of hands planting a seedling

Cultivating Change: Seeds of Food System Transformation

Where can we find inspiration for food systems transformation? In recent years, Wales and Scotland have emerged as pioneers in progressive governance and food policy, challenging conventional approaches to wellbeing and sustainability. But why focus on Wales and Scotland? Unburdened by the inertia that often plagues larger countries, they’ve shown a willingness to experiment with…

two people holding a box of vegetables in a field

A food systems manifesto for the next UK government

As the UK looks ahead to the next election, food and farming policy has emerged as a critical issue. How we grow, process, distribute, and consume food has far-reaching impacts. Our current food system faces significant challenges, from environmental degradation and climate change to health inequalities and food insecurity. To address these complex and interconnected…

Storm clouds over a soy plantation

Food systems belong at the heart of climate action

Last year was the hottest in human history. February of this year continues the trend and was the ninth month in a row that has seen the warmest temperatures on record. Climate change is a global crisis that demands urgent action from the international community. Rising temperatures disrupt agricultural cycles, cause sea-level rise, and intensify…

Bowl of heathy food

Rethinking food policy: Why we need a systems approach

Many factors influence our food choices. What’s for dinner depends partly on personal tastes, time, budget, and health goals. But individual decisions and preferences alone don’t determine what’s on our plates, as we are often led to believe. The food system that shapes what we eat operates on much larger scales than personal choice and…