NAO Report Examines Food Supply Chain Resilience
The National Audit Office (NAO) has published a report examining the resilience of the UK's food supply chain to disruptions, including extreme weather events, cyber-attacks and disease outbreaks. The report makes a series of recommendations for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) aimed at improving preparedness and resilience across the food supply chain.
The report notes that food is one of the UK's 13 Critical National Infrastructure sectors and considers how government, industry and local partners can strengthen preparedness for future disruptions. Recommendations include strengthening engagement with industry, reviewing response plans and learning from approaches used in other sectors and countries.
Commenting on the report, Ed Barker, Head of Policy and External Affairs at AIC, said:
The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) welcomes the report's recognition that the UK food supply chain faces growing risks from geopolitical instability, extreme weather, climate change, disease outbreaks and cyber threats.
However, building resilience cannot be the responsibility of Defra alone. Government must take a more joined-up approach across departments, including the Cabinet Office, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Transport, while maintaining close coordination with the devolved administrations.
As the Government develops a closer relationship with the EU, it should prioritise improved data and intelligence sharing to help strengthen the resilience of the UK's food supply chain.
AIC Members contributed evidence and practical insights to the inquiry, helping to inform the report's assessment of the challenges and opportunities associated with strengthening supply chain resilience.
AIC notes that recent engagement with Defra on supply chain resilience has been positive, with officials demonstrating an increased understanding of supply chain pinch points and the information required from industry to assess potential disruptions.
The report also provides an opportunity to consider the data available during periods of disruption, including information on domestic production and trade flows. This is particularly relevant given that around 50% of UK feed demand and 70% of UK fertiliser demand is met through imports.
The full report is available on the National Audit Office website.
