Experts Warn UK Government of Food Security Complacency
Over 150 experts warn the British government that the UK lacks a crisis plan for food shortages caused by climate change and geopolitical shocks.
More than 150 academics and business leaders have warned the Government of the United Kingdom that it is complacent regarding food as a national security matter. In an open letter delivered to Andy Burnham, the signatories argue the country is unprepared for food shortages driven by cyber-attacks, geopolitical shocks, and climate change. The experts specifically criticize the reliance on a just-in-time delivery system and the lack of national food storage since the 1990s.
The group urges the government to decentralize the food supply, audit reliance on large corporations, and establish local food resilience committees. This warning follows a rebuke from the National Audit Office, which criticized ministers for failing to assist households and businesses in emergency planning.
In response, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle has recommended that households build small stores of food and water. Simultaneously, the Cabinet Office is planning a campaign via the government's Prepare website to encourage citizens to stock up on tinned goods.
