The UK government has been urged to change its approach to national food security by a think tank.

Policy Exchange, a right of centre organisation founded in 2007, is pushing for a national food security strategy that “encompasses the entire food ecosystem” beyond farming. It released a report on the issue today (3 September).

The report, backed by a cross-party selection of MPs and peers, suggested that previous food security initiatives have focused too narrowly on agriculture.

Policy Exchange argues that food security should be “at the heart” of the country's industrial strategy.

A recent survey from industry body the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) showed that 53% of UK food and drink manufacturers see “mitigating supply chain risks or geopolitical events as either significant or very significant for their businesses”.

FDF CEO Karen Betts said: “We welcome this insightful report from the Policy Exchange, which rightly puts food and drink at the heart of Whitehall policymaking.

“The UK has a highly sophisticated food system, which supports everyone’s daily lives by providing a wide range of affordable, safe and nutritious food and drink. But we must not take it for granted.”

Investment in the food and beverage manufacturing sector has fallen 30% since 2019, the report said, adding that this is despite an estimated industry turnover of £142bn ($186.2bn) and exports valued at more than £24bn.

However, the report claimed that UK manufacturing excluding food and drink saw investment rise by 5% over the same period.

Betts added: “Challenges lie ahead which need investment if our food system is to remain secure - from the innovation needed to tackle climate change, raise productivity and invest in new products, to keeping prices fair for suppliers and consumers and ensuring the UK strikes the right balance between domestic production and trade. 

“Taking the right policy decisions now, weighed across Whitehall departments and as recommended by Policy Exchange, will lay the foundations for UK food security into the future.”

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU), a body representing UK farmers and farm businesses, recently issued a new warning to the country’s government about the need for agri-food self-sufficiency in the light of global threats.

According to government figures, the UK is 62% self-sufficient in food but the NFU said some sectors have seen a recent decline. It said the UK’s self-sufficiency in fresh vegetables is at its lowest since records began in 1988 at 53%.