A new 'food security unit' should be set up in Scotland as the issue gains greater domestic priority due to the shifts in global geopolitics and climate change, a taskforce has concluded.
The findings of the Food Security and Supply Taskforce, which was set up to respond to any potential disruption to food security and supply resulting the Ukraine war, have been published.
The first of its type to be set up in the UK, the taskforce found that - while there is greater strain on the food supply chain than has been seen for years - supplies of food and animal feed in Scotland are secure.
However, it makes a number of recommendations, including the establishment of a new food security unit within the Scottish government.
The unit would be a mechanism to monitor risks, identify ways to increase resilience in food production and supply, and respond rapidly to emerging issues.
The taskforce also called on the Scottish government to support improved cash flow for individual businesses and farmers.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said food security was being given greater domestic priority as a result of climate change and an increasing understanding of the global nature of food supply.
Ms Gougeon said: “The war in Ukraine has sent shockwaves through the global food system and the impacts are being felt by producers and consumers in Scotland.
“This has compounded the challenging operating environment caused by the pandemic and the hard Brexit imposed on Scotland by the UK government, which has inflicted significant and lasting damage on our world class food and drink industries, rural and coastal communities."
She added: “We have already taken steps to respond to the situation, including improving business cash flow via our payments strategy for 2022, to ensure farmers and crofters are paid as early as possible.
“The rapid establishment of our taskforce and the creation of new food security structures should offer assurances that government and industry will be in a position to react as quickly as possible to any future shocks."
Chief executive of Scotland Food and Drink, James Withers welcomed the report, as he said food security would be a dominant global theme over the next decade.
“New structures, embedded into government, working in close collaboration with industry will make food security central to our thinking in future.
“The rapid response by Scottish Government in establishing this taskforce has been important. I sincerely hope we see the same focus emerge at UK level."
The taskforce was established in March 2022 with the purpose of recommending actions that might be taken to mitigate impacts, resolve supply issues and strengthen food security in Scotland.
What has the taskforce recommended?
The Food Security and Supply Taskforce's recommendations include:
• The creation of a dedicated food security unit within the Scottish government.
• Supporting improved cash flow for individual businesses and farmers.
• A digital gateway, specifically for the food and drink sector, highlighting support available to businesses.
• The Groceries Adjudicator should assess whether current behaviours in the food supply chain are working in the long-term interests of food security.
• To encourage UK government to look at how the "fair dealing" powers in their Agriculture Act 2020 might be used more broadly to ensure fair treatment of farmers.
• Given the ongoing global turbulence, consideration will be given to the taskforce meeting perhaps two more times this year, in a monitoring capacity.
• Urging UK government to support the sector which includes addressing critical infrastructure issues, combatting post-Brexit skills shortages and addressing calls for further action on the soaring price of fuel and energy.
