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6 MAKING THE LINKS: FOOD
Farmers planting onions
SAFE, HEALTHY FOOD IS VITAL TO HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. THE FOOD AND DRINK INDUSTRY FROM PRIMARY PRODUCERS THROUGH TO RETAILERS AND THE FOOD SERVICE SECTOR MAKES AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITIES, CREATING WEALTH AND PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT AND ACCESS TO HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE FOOD
6.1 Safe, healthy food is vital to health and well-being. The food and drink industry from primary producers through to retailers and the food service sector makes an important contribution to communities, creating wealth and providing employment and access to healthy, affordable food. Food and drink industries depend on sustainable management of natural resources, such as water, land and fish stocks. Growing, transporting and processing food is a major contributor to our global environmental impact.
KEY ISSUES
6.2 The Scottish Food and Drink Strategy aims to achieve a sustainable and profitable food and drink industry in Scotland that is consumer-focused, market-led and internationally competitive. The Executive is working with the Industry Strategy Group to identify and address sustainable development priorities within the sector, mainly relating to the use of water and energy and production of waste (including packaging), and is also funding work by the Waste and Resources Action Programme to tackle food and packaging waste (see chapter 10).
6.3 'Food miles' are a source of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change, and can be reduced by more efficient use of transport. Food-related freight and shopping traffic is a factor in the rising level of traffic on Scotland's roads, which is one of the challenges to be addressed by our National Transport Strategy.
CASE STUDY
Healthy Roots Initiative, Aberdeen
Healthy Roots is a community-led initiative to transform 2 hectares of derelict land in the Middlefield area of the city into a new public park.
Work has involved clearing of the derelict site and the creation of a path network, flower beds, picnic benches, vegetable plots, composting, wildlife gardens and several play areas.
The scheme offers multiple benefits with a focus particularly on encouraging social inclusion, healthy eating and urban regeneration. Healthy eating is promoted by making it fun and part of the overall activities of the park rather than something people 'ought' to do.
The site also provides 'horticultural therapy' for a number of mental health and disability organisations in the city. Healthy Roots has received invaluable support from local conservation volunteer groups.
Contact: Healthy Roots, 3B Manor Walk, Aberdeen AB16 7UJ
Tel: 01224 680330
www.middlefield.freeuk.com
www.aberdeencountrysideproject.org
www.greenspacescotland.org.uk
6.4 There is a need to encourage the industry and consumers to increase the take up of locally-produced food and for the industry to ensure that it responds fully to the growing consumer interest in healthy balanced diets by providing choices and information to support purchasing decisions.
6.5 The Executive gives a range of financial support to food businesses. Growing these businesses supports both agricultural and fisheries producers' output by offering local outlets for produce. It also delivers the wider outcome of sustaining local communities, providing employment opportunities which in turn support local shops and services and bringing other economic benefits such as food tourism.
6.6 The sustainability of our primary food producers in agriculture, sea fisheries and aquaculture is being addressed through a range of policies, including both sectoral strategies and frameworks and cross cutting approaches such as our biodiversity strategy, as part of the Executive's work to ensure natural resources are managed sustainably (see chapter 9).
6.7 Everyone has the right to a safe, healthy diet and diet has a potentially major contribution to make to improving the health of Scotland's people, especially in our most disadvantaged communities. Improving Health in Scotland: the Challenge12 emphasises the importance of diet as a special focus national programme and sets out the Executive's continuing commitment to the principles of the Scottish Diet Action Plan. As part of this strategy, Eating for Health: meeting the Challenge13 provides the strategic framework for food and health policy implementation at the national level, supported by regional and local action plans developed in partnership between local authorities and NHS Boards.
6.8 The Food Standards Agency, an independent UK Government department with offices across the UK including in Scotland, has the remit to protect consumer interests related to food. One of its key strategic goals is to continue to work towards reducing the incidence of food-borne disease and the Agency also seeks to make it easier for all consumers to choose healthy diets, improving quality of life by reducing diet-related disease.
6.9 For many communities, food access - defined in terms of accessibility, affordability, culture and skills - remains a major concern. The Food Standards Agency has commissioned a food access map of Scotland, from which a toolkit will be developed to help local authorities respond to their communities' needs, and the Scottish Community Diet Project is reviewing its strategies to support disadvantaged communities to develop capacity and engage in local planning processes in order to improve and sustain food access. The Scottish Executive's Healthy Neighbourhood Shops initiative is supporting the convenience sector to promote healthy fresh food options in local shops.
6.10 The Hungry for Success programme has significantly improved the nutritional standards of food served in our schools, supported by initiatives such as the Food Standards Agency's target nutrient specifications for manufactured products used in school meals, and is promoting better understanding of how our food is produced and the benefits of healthy eating. In other areas of the public sector, the Scottish Executive is now working with NHSScotland, the Scottish Prison Service, the Care Commission, the Association for Public Service Excellence ( APSE) and the Food Standards Agency to improve the quality of food served in Scotland's hospitals, care homes and prisons.
ACTIONS FOR THE FUTURE
6.11 The Scottish Executive will:
- Work with the Enterprise Networks and the Scottish Food and Drink Industry Strategy Group to ensure the effective integration of sustainable development principles in policies and strategies for supporting the Scottish food and drink sectors.
- Work with food retailers and producers, caterers, schools and others to promote consumer interest in and understanding of the environmental, health and social impacts of food, through better labelling and initiatives such as Healthy Neighbourhood Shops and Fairtrade.
- Work with partners to disseminate information on access opportunities for local suppliers to sell to the public sector, including schools.
- Consult during 2006 on legislative proposals to build on the progress of Hungry for Success by, for example, putting nutritional standards for school meals on a statutory footing and promoting the take up of school meals.
- Work with Community Planning Partnerships to improve local food access in communities across Scotland.
- Work through the Scottish Food and Health Council to ensure that sustainable development continues to complement policies on the health aspects of food.
- Monitor progress in delivering food for a sustainable future as part of the reporting arrangements for this strategy.
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