August 2007 management briefing
This month’s briefing looks at the global concern that is food security. Security has acquired new meaning and resonance during this first decade of the 21st century. Regularly applied not only to personal safety and the need for official action to minimise risks, it also refers to the individual strands of everyday life, not least our food supply. It is not unusual for people to need imported food just to survive. Whether bought or donated in the form of aid, many countries rely on imports as they cannot produce enough themselves to prevent starvation. As borders and populations shift, so too must supply chains and distribution patterns. This report investigates safe and secure food and supply, including issues such as ensuring quantity, methods of mass production, food scares, communications technology, logistical nightmares and hunting and fishing.