Food security

Food security was defined at a World Food Summit in 1996 as:

"When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life."

What threatens our food security?

Food security is a complex issue. The challenges in ensuring our nation does not run short of food have become tougher and more frequent.

Major themes have been:

• Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, both of which resulted in panic buying and shortages of certain foods
• Geopolitical tensions threatening trade routes, and tariffs creating a great deal of uncertainty
• The changing climate causing volatility in our food supply

What role do farmers play?

Farmers' responsibilities in supporting the UK's food security are to:

• Ensure their businesses are resilient and can adapt to market conditions and changing demand
• Adapt to climate change
• Mitigate their emissions and any negative impacts on nature

AHDB produces analyses and tools and puts on events to support levy payers with this.

Our work explores what is happening in relation to UK food security to keep levy payers aware of the issues and challenges and support them in continuing to produce food sustainably.

UK food security and what it means to farmers

In 2025, we commissioned a report from The Andersons Centre to explore food security and understand what it means for the UK farming community. This report looks at how policy and farming businesses should consider food security, and how to improve national food security.

Key findings from the report were:

• Government needs to prepare for events such as increasingly unsettled geopolitics, climate change and trade barriers, which are not a responsibility markets will willingly pay for
• UK food security will not be fulfilled by farmers increasing their productivity
• Government can enact policies that maintain and improve food security
• The security of food supply in the UK is unlikely to be compromised by a single factor, rather a combination of multiple factors
• Farmers are not solely responsible for the UK's food security – that is the Government’s job. But the role of farmers is vital. By running resilient, profitable businesses that respond to change and care for the environment, they help build a strong, reliable food system. And as key players in the supply chain, farmers also have a voice helping to shape policy and hold government to account on food security

We will publish a series of articles exploring the themes and findings of the report.

Useful links

The Defra UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) 2024 sets out an analysis of statistical data relating to food security in the UK. It examines past, current and future trends relevant to food security. We published key takeaways from Defra’s findings in March 2025.

Global Food Security programme – this UK programme coordinates scientific research supported by partners across government departments and agencies, the devolved administrations, research councils and Innovate UK.

Farmbench is an online benchmarking tool that can help improve efficiency and increase profits for beef, lamb and arable enterprises.

AHDB cost of production analysis can help farmers compare production costs and business performance so that they can identify ways to improve performance.