A major report from the United Kingdom is calling for urgent action to reshape how food is grown, distributed and consumed, warning that without intervention, health costs and climate pressures will only worsen.
The Roadmap for Resilience: A U.K. Food Plan for 2050, coordinated by the Agri-Food for Net Zero (AFN) Network+, argues that the nation’s food system needs a transformation on a scale not seen since World War II. Researchers say the stakes extend far beyond agriculture, affecting health care, economic stability and national security.
“Achieving this transformation has the power to deliver a food system where everyone in the UK has access to healthy and sustainable food,” said Neil Ward, co-lead of the AFN Network+ and a professor at the University of East Anglia. He added that the goal is to help people lead “healthier and more economically active lives,” while supporting nature and cutting emissions.
The report, developed over three years with input from 150 scientists and industry professionals, identifies three key areas for change:
More resilient farming: Supporting farmers to adapt to climate change and diversify crops, especially fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Smarter land use: Planning regional land management to balance food production with reforestation, peatland restoration and biodiversity goals.
Healthier diets made easier: Ensuring nutritious food is affordable and accessible, while reducing reliance on high-emission and imported foods.
Ward said that without action, worsening diets, climate stress and global shocks will force disruptive changes on the food system within decades. But if governments and industries act now, the transition can be proactive and beneficial.
“Our window to act is narrow,” he said. “However, if we act now, we still have time to shape our future, and positively impact national security, national health, economic growth and climate change”
The AFN Network+ report highlights that poor diets already cost the U.K. economy roughly $330 billion per year when accounting for both direct health care and lost productivity. More than 7 million people live in food-insecure households, an increase of 80% in just three years. The U.K. imports half its vegetables and most of its fruit, two of the very foods most essential for health.
Tim Benton, co-lead of the AFN Network+ and a professor at the University of Leeds, said every year of delay makes the shift harder and more expensive.
“Change is coming to our food system, but how we shape it is our choice to make,” he said.
While the report is written for U.K. policymakers, many of its ideas apply globally. The authors argue that food security should be treated with the same urgency as energy security, that dietary goals should be national priorities, and that coordinated policy could align public health, agriculture and environmental goals.
Professor Charlotte Deane, executive chair of U.K. Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said the roadmap creates a foundation for long-term planning.
“Our investment has resulted in a legacy of insights which will help shape future land use and food strategy, supporting the UK’s path to net zero,” she said.
For U.S. readers, the message is clear: resilient, health-focused food systems aren’t just a British challenge. They’re a global necessity and a national opportunity.