keynote: food and farmingscience for food and farming policy: connecting for coherence professor...
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Science for food and farming policy: connecting for coherence
Professor Corinna HawkesDirector, Centre for Food PolicyCo-Chair, Global Nutrition Report
But currently, policy is not coherent – the case of diets and food systems policies
1. The opportunity for food & farming
policy:a food systems
framework
The food system
Source: Ericksen, 2008. Conceptualizing food systems for global environmental change research. Global Environmental Change, 18(1)p. 239
Health Food systems outcomes
Economy Environment
What is produced
What food is eaten
How food is produced
Rural development policyEnvironmental policy
Agricultural policy
How food is processed & distributed
Industry policyTrade policyTransport policy
Food policy the policy decisions that shape the food
system
Health policyFood safety policy
Labour policyLand policy
ECONOMIC POLICY GOALSRural development
Job creationTrade
Food systems policy goals
HEALTH POLICY GOALSHealthier diets/less disease
Safe foodAnimal healthWorker health
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY GOALS
Reduce GHGsProtect nature
How food is priced &
marketed
Marketingpolicy
Opportunity = “policy coherence” to meet multiple goals
■“Promotion of mutually reinforcing policy actions across government departments and agencies creating synergies towards achieving the agreed objectives” (OECD, 2003)
■“Policy coherence for sustainable development” integrateseconomic, social, environmental, governance dimensions of sustainable development (OECD, 2014)
A global view
Target 17.14
of the Sustainable
Development Goals
“Enhance policy
coherence for sustainable
development” Economy, environment, health
But currently, policy is not coherent – the case of diets and food systems policies
2. The challenge for food & farming
policy: leveraging science for policy
coherence
The case of diet quality (what people eat)
Conceptual framework for the links between diet quality and food systems
A wide array of elements in the food system shape our diets
■Degree of diversity of production
■Quantity and productivity of production of different foods and ingredients
■Agricultural research investments
■Degree of food losses and waste
■ Contamination with food safety risks
■ Transport infrastructure
■ Imports and exports
■ Investment in food processing
■Degree and type of food advertising and promotion
■ Retail environment
■Home environment
What is produced
What food is eaten
How food etc is
produced
Environmental science
Agricultural science
How food is processed & distributed -
Food scienceECONOMIC POLICY GOALSRural development
Job creationTrade
HEALTH POLICY GOAL Improve diets/reduce
obesity/disease
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY GOALSReduce GHGs
Protect nature
How food is priced &
marketed
Marketing science
Yet science for policy has not kept up with the science of what we eat
Epidemiological evidence
Six of the top 11 risk factors driving the global burden of disease are related to diet
Evidence from nutritional science
Eatwell plate guidance compared with purchase rates for all households
In 2013, 16% of children ate 5-a-day
Moving from incoherence to coherence involves applying science through the lens of multiple food systems policy goals, including diet & health
What is produced
What food is eaten
How food etc is
produced
Environmental science
Agricultural science
How food is processed & distributed -
Food scienceECONOMIC POLICY GOALSRural development
Job creationTrade
HEALTH POLICY GOAL Improve diets/reduce
obesity/disease
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY GOALSReduce GHGs
Protect nature
How food is priced &
marketed
Marketing scienceNutrition science
It does not make sense not to!
What is produced
What food is eaten
Agricultural science
HEALTH POLICY GOAL Improve diets/reduce
obesity/diseaseNutrition science
So, what happens when we turn to farming & agricultural science for a “healthier food supply”?
More production?
More consumption?
What is produced
What food is eaten
Agricultural science
How food is processed & distributed -
Food science
HEALTH POLICY GOAL Improve diets/reduce
obesity/disease
How food is priced &
marketed
Marketing scienceNutrition science
If we just look at agriculture, we run the risk of failing to connect with the science and policy affecting processing, distribution, marketing, & environmental goals
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY GOALSReduce GHGs
Protect nature
1985–2014: 27% decline in land for
fruit/veg production in the UK
More UK horticulture?
More jobs?
More consumption?
Horticulture occupies 2% of
farmed area but employs 12% of labour & at least 35% casual farm
labour
If we just look at science, we run the risk of ignoring the economics of
the supply chain
More imports?
The UK trade gap for f/v is
£7.8 billion
or
2013-16: FV purchasing for lowest 10% SES households
dropped to 3.0 portions/day
Source: Lang, T. and Schoen, V., 2016. Horticulture in the UK: potential for meeting dietary guidelines. Food Research Collaboration Briefing paper, Centre for Food Policy 2016
Moving from incoherence to coherence involves connectingthe different sciences and the economics of the food system
… but being driven by “science” & economics alone runs the risk of ignoring knowledge from the people of the food system
■ “The most significant perceived motivator to fruits and vegetable purchasing among a low income population was enjoyment” (Widdison & Hawkes, in prep)
■ “Not liking the taste, and lacking confidence to cook, were the most significant barriers to meeting F&V recommendations; price was not found to be significant” (Morrow et al, 2016)
… which involves bringing in behavioral and social sciences at the start
… and connecting back to the food system
Source: Hawkes C, Smith TG, Jewell J, et al. Smart food policies for obesity prevention. Lancet 2015
Moving from incoherence to coherence, from assumption-based policy to policy informed by science, involves connecting
science, policy and people through the food system
Moving from incoherence to coherence in science for policy involves making connections
1. Applying science to a connected set of food systems policy goals
2. Connecting the different sciences and economics of the food system
3. Starting with the “people sciences” & connecting back through the
food system
for integrated & inclusive food policy
Thank [email protected]@corinnahawkes