Where does food come from? Who makes it? Who is it for? These and other big issues around the ways in which we produce, distribute and consume food and drink will be discussed at a free online event hosted by the University of Portsmouth on Tuesday 18 May.
'Can a National Food Strategy create sustainable food cultures?' is hosted by the University's Food Cultures in Transition (FoodCiTi) research team and will examine whether the National Food Strategy for England can really change the way we produce, package, buy and eat food in this country.
Following an introduction by Professor Steve Fletcher, who leads the University's Revolution Plastics initiative, and Professor Lisa Jack, lead for the FoodCiTi research group, a panel of experts will debate the need for food policy in general, the role of England in a global food system and the potential for a national food policy to create meaningful change.
The panel includes:
• Lisa Jack, Professor of Accounting and lead for the FoodCiTi Research Group, University of Portsmouth.
• Tim Aldred, Head of Policy at the Fairtrade Foundation.
• Molly Scott Cato, Professor of Green Economics at Roehampton University and former MEP for the UK Green Party.
• Rosalind Sharpe, Director of the Food Research Collaboration (FRC) at the Centre for Food Policy at City, University of London.
Every aspect of human life is affected by the ways in which people produce, distribute and consume food and drink. The cultures we create around food need to be healthy and fair, and environmentally sustainable, such as the use of plastic in food packaging. We look to learn from past and present food cultures to help design new futures for food that will sustain people and the planet.
The FoodCiTi research team explore food and drink from every angle and its researchers come from all areas of the University – science, social science, the humanities, business and law, technology and the creative industries. It undertakes research and innovation programmes on behalf of industry and government customers.
Professor Jack said: "Every aspect of human life is affected by the ways in which people produce, distribute and consume food and drink. The cultures we create around food need to be healthy and fair, and environmentally sustainable, such as the use of plastic in food packaging. We look to learn from past and present food cultures to help design new futures for food that will sustain people and the planet.
"We are concerned with changes that affect individual food choices, local provision of food and global food systems. We have links with the food and drink industry, policy makers, local government, and campaigners across the world, particularly in less developed countries. The work of the group aligns with nearly all of the UN Sustainability Goals."
The free online event runs from 2 to 4.15pm and places can be booked via Eventbrite.
