Cymru Can: A view from Food Sense Wales

Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner, Derek Walker has this week set out his priorities in Cymru Can – a new strategy for 2023- 2030 that outlines his long-term vision and purpose.

With food being integral to achieving Wales’ well-being goals, Food Sense Wales is thrilled to see our food system outlined as the Commissioner’s first area of focus, contributing to all five of his missions, those being Implementation and Impact, Climate and Nature, Health and Well-being, Culture and Welsh Language and A Well-being Economy.

It’s extremely encouraging that the Future Generations Commissioner is actively considering the different aspects, challenges and opportunities presented by our food system – from the need for more locally produced food, to food security, and from rural communities, the Welsh language and our culture, to the duty on public services to use their levers for change.

Food Sense Wales also supports and agrees with the opportunities noted around food that will help Wales to achieve its well-being goals, including the new Agriculture Act; the growing momentum around community food and associated local supply chains as well as the development of cross-sector food partnerships – an area that Food Sense Wales has been instrumental in implementing and developing throughout Wales.

Similarly, we applaud the Commissioner’s plans to work with public bodies and Public Services Boards in order to integrate sustainable food policies within their well-being plans, including developing community food plans, to make changes and improvements at a local, place-based level.

Food Sense Wales, alongside the Commissioner, is also calling for Welsh Government to develop a long-term food strategy framed within the Well-being of Future Generations Act. It is vital, now more than ever, that we ensure that current and future generations have access to a secure and affordable supply of nutritious food that doesn’t negatively impact our environment, at home or overseas, and supports the development of a thriving Welsh culture and economy.

You can read the strategy in full here and watch the #CymruCan video below.