Have Your Say on the Future of UK Food Resilience
How prepared would our communities be if a major emergency disrupted access to food?
The UK Government is currently reviewing the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the legislation that sets out how organisations prepare for and respond to major emergencies across the UK.
The Act already recognises that disruption to the supply of food can threaten human welfare and form part of an emergency. However, organisations working across the food system are not currently represented across the emergency response framework in the same way as many other essential services.
As a member of the Sustainable Food Places network, Andover Food Partnership is sharing two opportunities for organisations and individuals with experience of food, community support and local resilience to contribute to the current discussion.
Why does food resilience matter?
Food resilience is about making sure communities are able to access food during periods of disruption or emergency. Events such as extreme weather, supply-chain disruption, power outages, pandemics and other emergencies can all affect how food reaches our communities. Research published by Sustainable Food Places in 2026 has highlighted the role that local food partnerships, community organisations and local authorities can play in strengthening resilience and improving coordination before an emergency occurs.
What is being proposed?
The SFP is supporting an open letter developed by FoodRise and food-policy experts calling for food resilience to receive greater consideration within national emergency planning.
Among the proposals being put forward are:
Greater involvement of food system organisations within emergency planning and response arrangements.
Local food resilience committees or equivalent arrangements, bringing together local authorities, food partnerships, community organisations and other relevant organisations to help prevent, prepare for and respond to food-related emergencies.
The proposal for local Food Resilience Committees also builds on recommendations made in Professor Tim Lang and colleagues’ Just in Case report for the National Preparedness Commission, which recommended locally coordinated food resilience arrangements connected with Local Resilience Forums.
Two Ways to Have Your Say
1. Give it a read and, if your organisation supports it, sign the Joint Letter
Organisations are invited to read the joint letter to the Prime Minister and First Secretary of State and add their name if they support the proposals.
Deadline: 12pm, Sunday 4 October 2026
2. Respond to the Government's Civil Contingencies Act Call for Views
The Cabinet Office is currently inviting evidence as part of its review of the Civil Contingencies Act. The consultation is open to people and organisations involved in the UK's resilience system, including voluntary, community and faith-based organisations and those with relevant expertise. FoodRise has prepared a short response guide which can be adapted to include your organisation's own experiences and views.
FoodRise response deadline: 9am, Monday 5 October 2026
You can also read and respond to the official Civil Contingencies Act 2004: Call for Views through GOV.UK.
Comments