The local as a site of food security resilience in the times of pandemic: opportunities, challenges and ways forward.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Geography
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted on the UK's food systems, and disruptions are likely to continue. There is emerging evidence that the local food sector (local food producers and their supply chains) can significantly contribute to the resilience of the UK's food system at this time. However, robust data is needed to better understand the impact this sector can make on food security during and after the pandemic, and to help maximise its contribution.
By working closely with key businesses and organisations in the local food sector, this 5-stage project will use surveys, interviews, citizen science, and backcasting to provide timely evidence on 1. the sectors' robustness, capturing the impact of and response to the pandemic (deliverable 1); 2. its adaptability, gathering information on adaptation by local producers, short chains and intermediate actors (deliverables 2 & 3); 3. its route to transformation in the post-pandemic context, assessing longer-term changes at supply chain and policy levels (deliverables 4 & 5).
The project will collect and feed back robust data, and by providing structured space for sector-wide collaboration and long-term planning. It will enable the business and policy actors on local and national levels to maximise the local food system's contribution to UK's food security, and to ensure its sustainability and resilience. This project has significant buy-in from key businesses and organisations in this sector, as well as policymakers, as evidenced by letters of support. It is, therefore, highly likely to ensure high participation rates and deliver significant impact.
By working closely with key businesses and organisations in the local food sector, this 5-stage project will use surveys, interviews, citizen science, and backcasting to provide timely evidence on 1. the sectors' robustness, capturing the impact of and response to the pandemic (deliverable 1); 2. its adaptability, gathering information on adaptation by local producers, short chains and intermediate actors (deliverables 2 & 3); 3. its route to transformation in the post-pandemic context, assessing longer-term changes at supply chain and policy levels (deliverables 4 & 5).
The project will collect and feed back robust data, and by providing structured space for sector-wide collaboration and long-term planning. It will enable the business and policy actors on local and national levels to maximise the local food system's contribution to UK's food security, and to ensure its sustainability and resilience. This project has significant buy-in from key businesses and organisations in this sector, as well as policymakers, as evidenced by letters of support. It is, therefore, highly likely to ensure high participation rates and deliver significant impact.
Organisations
- University of Sheffield (Lead Research Organisation)
- Better Food Traders (Project Partner)
- Royal Society of Arts (Project Partner)
- Sustainable Food Places (Project Partner)
- Community Supported Agric. Network (Project Partner)
- Soil Association (Project Partner)
- Pasture for Life (Project Partner)
- Farm Retail Association (Project Partner)
- Sustain (Project Partner)
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Project Partner)
- The Land Workers' Alliance (Project Partner)
- Open Food Network (Project Partner)
Publications
Black J
(2024)
What constitutes food system resilience? The importance of divergent framings between UK mainstream and local food system actors
in British Food Journal
Jones S
(2022)
Resilience and transformation: Lessons from the UK local food sector in the COVID-19 pandemic
in The Geographical Journal
Jones, S
(2022)
Resilience and transformation: Lessons from the UK local food sector in the COVID-19 pandemic
in Geographical Journal
Description | 1. Covid19 impacted the local food sector in the UK in diverse ways. Overall the sector showed resilience due to a combination of resilience characteristics and the presence of social capital which enabled them to activate those characteristics. 2. The Covid19 pandemic has been a period of high stress and uncertainty for local food system actors and businesses. This is undermining the long term resilience of the sector. 3. The local food sector is consistently overlooked in UK food related legilsation and policies. 4. Local food system actors want the local food system to be a driver of transformative resilience for the UK food sector. The lack of policy support is a major obstacle to achieving this. |
Exploitation Route | For acdemics, the project provides important advances in the understanding of resilience in food systems. For local food system actors, it provides a series of tools for strengthening their social capital to address the weakness of the local food sector politically. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
URL | https://zenodo.org/record/6023241 |
Description | Covid-19 and sustainable food systems: a shared learning resource |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | "Covid-19 and sustainable food systems: a shared learning resource" is a newsletter and learning resource collating academic and non-academic findings related to the impacts of Covid-19 on food systems. It is collated by the project Co-I Prof Damian Maye, and it is updated bi-weekly. The entires are thematically coded, making it easy for users to find items related to their area of interest. The site is publicised via social media incl. Twitter. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
URL | http://www.ccri.ac.uk/covid-19-food-system/ |
Description | Economic and Social Impacts of Covid-19: Food Systems Perspective |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation by project Co-I Prof. Damian Maye of a talk "Economic and Social Impacts of Covid-19: Food Systems Perspective" as part of a panel discussion on 'Economic and Social Impacts of Covid-19', organised by the Royal Geographical Society on 2nd March 2021, 7pm-8.30pm. Event abstract: Covid-19 is having impacts that extend far beyond its immediate effects on people's health status. Some of these non-health impacts flow from poor health, others ensure that existing health inequalities - and other inequalities - will deepen. The impact of Covid is broad in its human and structural dimensions. This panel will focus on the economic and social consequences of the pandemic. Drawing on the latest geographical research, including work by the presenters, the evening will feature short presentations and structured discussion touching on the impact that Covid is having on work, jobs, different demographic groups and the way we live our lives. We will look also at the implications of lockdowns for access to services and work and for alternative ways of working. A particular area of concern will be access to food and the impact of the pandemic on food supply as well as wider questions about how food economies are organised and governed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.rgs.org/geography/online-lectures/economic-and-social-impacts-of-covid-19/ |