Mayor unveils strategy to improve London's food
The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and Jenny Jones the Chair of London Food today (Wednesday 14th September) launched a draft London Food strategy and they are asking Londoners for their comments. London Food Link will be running this three month consultation.
The draft food strategy focuses on the actions needed to improve Londoners' health through better diet and the need to increase the choice, availability and quality of food for all Londoners, especially the most disadvantaged. It also celebrates and promotes the huge variety of cuisines available in London, reflecting the capital's cultural diversity, and discusses how a more sustainable future might be achieved. The draft strategy examines what is working well in our food system and what needs to be improved.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: 'The draft food strategy outlines a plan of action to help us all make better and healthier choices on food. Food is such an everyday part of life that we often don't consider what is best for our health or for the wider environment. But obesity-related illnesses are growing, London's food system does have negative environmental impacts, and many Londoners cannot easily access affordable, nutritious food. This strategy aims to develop the capital's food system to make London a truly sustainable world city.
'More encouragingly, London has been described as the gastronomic capital of the world and the vibrant cosmopolitan make-up of the city means we have over 12,000 restaurants selling produce from over 60 different cuisines. Places like Borough Market are now tourist destinations in their own right, and showcase the world's cuisines to excellent effect. We need to build on such success stories to make London an even more exciting place to visit and live.'
Jenny Jones, Chair of London Food said: ' In the wake of the G8 summit, there is a renewed drive to tackle climate change and poverty. The London Food strategy is completely in line with these priorities, proposing measures to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of our food systems, and ensuring that everyone has access to affordable, healthy, and nutritious food.
Jenny added 'We want to get the views of as many different Londoners as possible, not only to reflect what London wants, but to ensure that everyone is involved and that we see effective change as a result. We are very keen to get as many people attending the events organised which focus on different themes and sectors identified as priorities in the draft strategy.'
The draft strategy has been produced by London Food and is funded and supported by the London Development Agency, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Government Office for London. As part of the consultation, London Food Link have produced a questionaire through which you can tell us your views on the strategy and London's food in general. We will also be consulting different groups at a number of events which are detailed here. If you feel the group you represent are not being adequately consulted or you have any other queries please contact Alice Elliott on 0203 5596 777.
Further information
1. Copies of the draft strategy and full and executive summaries are available on www.lda.gov.uk/londonfood
2. Londoners are being invited to respond to the Mayor's draft food strategy which is available online at [www.lda.gov.uk/londonfood]; the public consultation will be run by Sustain/London Food Link and will end on 7th December 2005.
3. The final food strategy will be published in 2006 following public consultation.
London Food works to develop activities and policies which support a sustainable food system in the capital. This includes
- Reducing the environmental impact of London's food chain
- Supporting a vibrant food economy, especially through education and skills development and enhancing the status of food workers
- Improving Londoners' health via the food they eat and reducing health inequalities
- Improving access to food (particularly through planning and regeneration) and celebrating London's culinary cultural and ethnic diversity
- Developing London's food security
4. London Food works towards the implementation of the Government's Sustainable Food and Farming Strategy in the London region, and monitor progress. It is supported by the LDA, Defra and the Government Office for London.
5. London Food was set up in November 2003 by the Mayor of London to help improve the health of Londoners and look at ways of making London's food more sustainable. The members of 'London Food'. For details of membership go to www.lda.gov.uk/londonfood
6. The development of the London Food Strategy has been supported by £30,000 funding from Defra as part of £100,000 allocated to the LDA to support farming and food-related work over a two year period from April 2004-May 2006.
Public consultation events
Swiss Cottage Farmers' Market 14 Sept 05
The Spitalfields Show 18 Sept 05
Food Access & Planning 19 Sept 05
Restaurant Show 21 Sept 05
City Harvest Festival 24 Sept 05
Croydon Food Forum 30 Sept 05
Meeting with Economists 13 Oct 05
World Food Day 17 Oct 05
Food Waste 21 Oct 05 (TBC)
Local Food Infrastructure 31 Oct (TBC)
GOL Public Sector Food Procurement Workshops - 17 and 19 Nov 05
School Dinner Conference 25 Nov 05 (TBC)
Published Friday 30 September 2005
London Food Link: London Food Link brings together community food enterprises and projects that are working to make good food accessible to everyone in London to help create a healthy, sustainable and ethical food system for all.
