Farmland losses risk food security crisis

Summary

This paper by Derrick Wilkinson, published via the Science for Sustainable Agriculture platform, examines the ongoing loss of farmland in the United Kingdom and the potential consequences for national food security. Drawing likely on land-use data and policy analysis, it argues that the erosion of productive agricultural land — through development pressures, environmental schemes, and land diversification — poses a meaningful risk to the UK's ability to feed itself. The piece appears to advocate for maintaining a balance between environmental ambitions and the preservation of sufficient productive farmland.

UK applicability

Directly applicable to UK policy contexts, particularly debates around post-Brexit agricultural policy, Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs), and planning reform, where tensions between food production and environmental land use are actively contested.

Key measures

Agricultural land area lost (hectares); food self-sufficiency indicators; land-use change statistics

Outcomes reported

The piece likely reports on rates of agricultural land loss to development, infrastructure, and other non-food uses, assessing the consequent risks to domestic food production capacity and long-term food security. It may also consider the balance between environmental land use goals and productive farming requirements.

Topic tags