FDF response to Defra consultation on the Development of indicators for a Sustainable Food System
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November 2009
Defra is planning to produce a suite of indicators which will measure progress
towards a sustainable food system. These indicators will be linked with the UK
food security assessment.
The framework of proposed indicators is based around seven themes:
- economic performance and resilience
- skills and innovation
- eco-efficiency
- essential resources
- a healthy and well managed ecosystem
- healthy and informed consumers
- a safe food supply.
In our response, we urge Government to agree the longer term Vision and
objectives of our food system before moving to develop sustainability
indicators.
We also raise issues around the need for indicators to look at efficiency of
resource use across the food chain and the extent to which it is possible to
look
at UK aspects in isolation.
Defra proposes to interpret the indicators using a simple traffic light system
which we do not consider suitable to reflect the complexity of these issues.
Furthermore, partial or poorly constructed indicators may also give a false
sense of reassurance, especially by measuring what can only be measured. We
conclude
by asking Defra to join this work up with that of other Government departments.
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Last reviewed: 02 Jun 2011