UK Food Security: latest government report points to multiple crises

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has released the latest UK Food Security Report (UKFSR), fulfilling a duty under the Agriculture Act 2020 to publish a report every three years on the state of the UK’s food security. The report offers statistical evidence of the state of food security at the global, UK and household level.

Global picture

Climate change and land degradation continue to be a major risk factor to food production.

• Agricultural productivity growth is described as “weak”. Modest increases in global food production have been witnessed in most food groups (less than 4% across meat, roots and tubers, milk, fruit & veg, eggs, cereals)
• Number of undernourished people around the world is increasing due to poverty, conflict, and climate change (rising from 541 million people in 2017, to 733 million in 2023), even though globally we produce enough calories to meet the food needs of the world's population
• Amount of land reported as "degraded" increased globally (11.3% in 2015 to 15.5% in 2019)
• “Climate change, nature loss and water insecurity" pose "significant risks" to global food production.

Ruth Westcott, Climate Change and Nature Campaign Manager at Sustain, said:

"This report lays bare the alarming vulnerabilities of our food system, as well as some of the causes of food insecurity that we are simply not tackling. Climate change is the most pressing threat. It is dangerous and shocking that the government has failed to present any credible strategy to reduce emissions from the food system, which is both a major driver of climate change and increasingly at risk because of it.

The report makes some pertinent observations about how intensive farming is impacting food security, including that the effects of expanding livestock production are a risk to feeding a growing population and global food security. Food is both at risk from the climate emergency, and a major contributor to it. The new food strategy announced yesterday must set out how these issues will be addressed."

UK picture

High dependence on imports and artificial inputs means vulnerability to geopolitical shocks, while extreme weather and biodiversity loss pose significant risks.

• UK remains “highly dependent” on imports (48% food imported). 
• Unpredictable fluctuations in harvests due to extreme weather - 2019 was the highest cereal production this century, whereas 2020 was second lowest.
• Long-term decline in nature and biodiversity is a “pressing risk” to UK food production 
• Conflict in Europe led to rising costs of fertilizer and energy, resulting in highest food inflation spike for UK consumers in 45 years. UK faired worse relative to other countries, with inflation being among the highest of the G7 countries in 2023. Fertilizer costs rose from £1.5bn in 2021 to £2bn in 2022. Gas and electricity prices tripled and doubled respectively in mid-2022.

Will White, Sustainable Farming Campaign Coordinator at Sustain, said:

“This report clearly shows that food security and a healthy natural world are indivisible. With climate change, biodiversity loss, and a deepening public health crisis, it’s imperative to shift our food and farming systems towards a model that is sustainable, equitable, and resilient.

Our over-reliance on fruit and vegetable imports, often sourced from incredibly climate-vulnerable countries, is a case in point of our current failure to ensure a resilient supply of key food sources.

As Sustain and its partners set out in our food security briefing, the government needs to take a systemic approach by addressing the economic barriers which are currently stifling the transition to agroecology. This means better funding and delivery of the environmental land management schemes, a clear strategy for growth for the horticulture sector.” 

Household picture

Health inequality gap widens with the poorest most at risk.

• Household food insecurity levels increase: 92% of households were food-secure in 2020, decreasing to 90% in 2023. “Low-income and disabled groups” continue to be “at disproportionately high risk”.
• Most people do not meet government dietary recommendations. The poorest 10% eat on average 42% less fruits and vegetables than recommended, compared to the richest who eat 13% less
• More people are concerned about the cost of food. In 2023, food prices became the top food-related prompted concern among UK consumers (93% of people surveyed in Scotland, 72% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Isabel Rice, Food Poverty Campaign Coordinator at Sustain, said:

"Globally and nationally, food insecurity at a household level is rising. It is deeply concerning but not surprising that - despite producing enough calories to feed everyone - so many households are struggling to afford a healthy diet. This injustice is particularly harming minoritised groups and has devastating impacts on people's health. This report should send a clear message to the government that they can't afford not to act."      

How can the UK reduce its reliance on fruit and veg imports? Read Sustain's horticulture report, that offers a roadmap to increasing resilient domestic production.