healthy lunch box

Bold Politics, Better Food: The Recipe for Good Health

ByElta Smith

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

ByElta Smith

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

ByElta Smith

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…

Polling station - what do the UK parties promises for food and farming

Beyond Party Promises: What the UK Really Needs for Food Policy

ByElta Smith

With an election fast approaching, what are UK parties promising when it comes to food and farming? Perhaps more importantly, what’s missing? The urgency for action is undeniable. Our food systems face unprecedented challenges. Escalating climate and nature crises threaten food production, while the COVID-19 pandemic and global conflicts have exposed vulnerabilities in supply chains…

two people holding a box of vegetables in a field

A food systems manifesto for the next UK government

ByElta Smith

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…