Fresh food for our city

: The Sustainable Food Cities Network advocates fresh food (Courtesy of Charlene Winfred)

New network pushes for fairer access to healthy food

Local government purchasing power could transform our city’s food system. This is the message from a Welsh planning expert, as Cardiff joins in launching a national food network.

Speaking as a Cardiff representative within the Sustainable Food Cities Network, Professor Kevin Morgan from Cardiff School of City and Regional Planning said that it would prompt Cardiff Council and urban planners to realise the importance of serving fresh food in public bodies such as schools and hospitals.

He claimed buying fresh produce would not only promote healthier lifestyles and stimulate the local economy but also help democratise access to healthy food.

Professor Morgan said: “I think there’s a tendency for really good food to be seen in exclusive terms. What’s special about public canteens is that they specialise in providing food for the most vulnerable consumers in the country.”

What is the Sustainable Food Cities Network?

Professor Kevin Morgan: “Many cities individually had food strategies prior to joining the network but they wanted to come together to discuss this topic and share ideas and experiences.

“The network also aims to create a bigger profile for the all the cities involved by having a national network that will raise their profile with central government.

“It’s about showing people in power that they can do something, why they have to do it and showing them how to do it.”

Why is food planning important to the wider community?

“Food planning is important to the wider community for many reasons but firstly, for health and wellbeing. Food is unlike any other sector of the economy, it’s not just a business. It is because food plays a vital role in health and wellbeing that we can’t treat it on a par with other industries. All other products are a ‘like to have’, whereas food is a ‘need to have’.

“Food has a unique status in our lives and we need to make its importance visible in our cities. We need to make healthy food more readily available, so it’s accessible for all and not just affordable for the few.”

food, Professor kevin morgan, sustainable