In July, The Grocer reported that IGD would work with Defra on developing clear priorities and actions to build on the government’s Good Food Cycle. The result of that partnership is Food Nation 2040, a set of prioritised actions designed to turn existing ambitions for the UK’s food system into a “practical framework for delivery and implementation”.
The proposals will set out how industry, government and wider stakeholders can work together towards creating meaningful change towards a food system that is healthier, more affordable, more resilient, more sustainable and investable for the long term.
But what does that really mean, and how does it all relate to the Good Food Cycle?
Shared ambitions
Food Nation 2040 is the next stage in a journey that began with the independent National Food Strategy. Led by Henry Dimbleby, it set out the connections between food, health, poverty, the environment, land use and resilient supply, showing the need to address them as separate parts of a single system. Food Nation 2040 builds on those foundations, which also included the Food Strategy Advisory Board’s listening workshops, supported by IGD and the publication of the government’s Good Food Cycle.
The UK food system does not lack diagnosis. The foundations for change are already in place, and thanks to the work of many organisations across industry, government, academia and civil society, we have developed a much stronger understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the food system.
We understand what many of the issues are and have built a strong evidence base on the connections between food, health, affordability, resilience, climate, land use, skills and economic growth. The challenge now is delivery: translating that broad consensus into a smaller number of practical priorities, clear responsibilities and sustained action.
Food Nation 2040 responds to the next question: how can shared ambition become a focused framework for action, investment and delivery? It is organised around four interconnected missions from the Good Food Cycle: healthier and more affordable food; resilient and sustainable supply; good growth; and thriving food communities. Investment in all four is treated as an essential enabling condition, because businesses and partners need confidence and clarity to commit to long-term change.
Working together
No single organisation can transform the food system alone. Progress will require collaboration, long-term commitment and a willingness to focus on the actions that matter most.
As an organisation that works across the whole food system, IGD will act as a convenor for Food Nation 2040, working with industry partners across the food system and with government. That work will involve businesses from across farming, manufacturing, retail, wholesale and foodservice and hospitality, alongside policymakers, investors, trade associations, academics, civil society organisations, local and regional partners and community voices.
The first proposal for Food Nation 2040 has been informed by ongoing discussion with senior leaders within the food and drink industry, Defra and FSAB. It will be made public this autumn, and is intended as a framework for ongoing discussion and engagement, not as a final solution.
It will also identify areas where work is already underway and set clear priorities that can be actioned at pace, with the ultimate aim of building a prioritised, actionable and transparent plan that can support co-ordinated progress towards 2040.
The UK food sector has the expertise, innovation and determination needed to build the world’s leading resilient, healthy and investable food system. With industry, government and wider stakeholders working together with a shared sense of purpose, we can create a food system that supports economic growth, improves public health, strengthens resilience and delivers lasting benefits for people, communities and the planet.
Sarah Bradbury is CEO at the Institute of Grocery Distribution
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