UNIT A2 1 Option A: Food Security and Sustainability: Food Sustainability

LEARNING OUTCOMES: FOOD SUSTAINABILITY Understand the concept of ‘sustainability’; Understand the impact of animal farming, locally and seasonally produced food, and organic farming on climate change and natural resources; and Understand how locally and seasonally produced food, and Fairtrade can contribute positively to local economies.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” [Brundtland Report, 1987]

SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD A complex area! Many factors influence the sustainability of food – biodiversity, ethical trade, animal welfare, embedded water, land use. The food we produce and the food choices we make are creating stresses on our climate, wildlife and habitats, driving unethical trade agreements, challenging animal welfare and putting pressure on water usage.

ARGUMENTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY Giving it a focus helps to highlight the environmental problems. By protecting the environment, promoting social equality and supporting the economy everyone benefits. Should be embedded throughout government policy.

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES It is estimated that food is responsible for 20-30% of household-related environmental impacts. How can retailers help reduce this impact? Climate change Waste Supply chain Products

Sustainability issue 1

CONSUMERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE Consumers struggle to link their personal activities to global issues. Many consumers may not recognise the importance of climate change. Labelling the carbon footprint on individual products still lacks public awareness to drive a change in behaviour. Retailers are seen as the most responsible sector with regard to climate change.

WHAT ARE NATURAL RESOURCES? A natural resource is anything that people can use which comes from the natural environment. They include water (seas and fresh water), land, soils, rocks, forests (vegetation), animals (including fish), fossil fuels and minerals. They are the basis of life on earth and need to be sustainably managed.

ANIMAL FARMING When consumers get more money they increase their consumption of food and include greater variety in their diets (meat and dairy) which take more water and grain to produce. Growing popularity in meat.

SUSTAINABILITY AND ANIMAL WELFARE

ORGANIC AND OTHER PRODUCTION METHODS

SUPPLY CHAIN Retailers should be offering local suppliers a fair price. Conflicting demands from consumers – they want cheap and cheerful products but want them to be locally produced. 26% of consumers think supermarket retailers could be responsible by using or increasing their use of local growers/producers. http://www.ipsosmorigrads.com/pdf/reputation_report_v1.pdf

FAIR TRADE Promotes sustainable development. Dialogue, transparency & respect, seeking greater equity in international trade (IFTA). Improve the livelihoods & wellbeing of disadvantaged producers & speaking out for greater justice in world trade (Trade Aid). Importing Organizations Fair Trade Labelling Initiatives Fair Trade World Shops Consumers Producers

POSITIVE BENEFITS OF FAIR TRADE Economic benefits Supports farmers to become more income-secure and less vulnerable to poverty; Empowers farmers to organize into cooperatives and negotiate a higher price for their product; Improves access to agricultural training and premium markets encouraging them to farm better and sell more.   Environmental benefits Provides environmental protection standards for farmers to work to; Promotes training for farmers to switch to environmentally friendly practices (nutrient-rich soils and encouraging wildlife to help control pests and diseases). Provide access to finance, producer support and expertise in tackling climate change, supporting long-term environmental sustainability. Social benefits Farmers and workers have more control over their future: greater power & voice. Better workers’ rights to negotiate their work terms and conditions through trade unions and collective bargaining Fairtrade invests in education, better housing, better schools and medical facilities in worker communities, improving the quality of lives of rural communities. Fairtrade.org.uk, 2017

LOCAL PRODUCTS Many retailers are starting to source local products. Consumers find it difficult to identify sustainable food products. Labels and certificates are intended to make it easy to take these concerns into account but there is limited evidence in their effectiveness of changing behaviour.

LOCAL PRODUCE

WHY EAT LOCAL, SEASONALLY PRODUCED FOOD There are a number of good reasons to eat more local, seasonal food: To reduce the energy (and associated CO2 emissions) needed to grow and transport the food we eat; To avoid paying a premium for food that is scarcer or has travelled a long way; To support the local economy; To reconnect with nature's cycles and the passing of time; Can be fresher, tastier and more nutritious. http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/why.php

SUMMARY Food and sustainability are challenging areas Sustainability is about maintaining choice now while retaining choice for the future Sustainability takes account of environmental, economic and social issues Buying local, seasonal produce can reconnect us with food and encourage us to value it more Fairtrade can help farmers in other countries make a fair living wage while providing us with extra food choices

USEFUL READING MacDiarmaid, J. (2013) Estimation of the greenhouse gas emissions of the eatwell week. Available from: http://www.foodbase.org.uk/results.php?f_report_id=821[Accessed 12.01.14] Eat the Seasons. (2017) Why eat the seasons? Available from: http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/why.php Garnett, T. (2008) Cooking up a storm: food, greenhouse gas emissions and our changing climate. University of Surrey: Food Climate Research Network. Available from: http://www.fcrn.org.uk/sites/default/files/CuaS_web.pdf [Accessed 16/01/13]. Gadema, Z. and Oglethorpe, D. (2011) The use and usefulness of carbon labelling food: A policy perspective from a survey of UK supermarket shoppers. Food Policy, 36, 815–822.  

ANY QUESTIONS? ms.furey@ulster.ac.uk THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS? ms.furey@ulster.ac.uk