On the eve of another Earth Overshoot Day, Duncan Rawson argues that the plateauing date flatters to deceive. The agri-food industry is making progress, but we are still only scratching the surface. Enough reports. It's time to stop measuring and start acting, together.
Our food system is increasingly fragile. The answer is not extremes, but integration: less meat, better meat, and regenerative farming systems that combine crops and livestock to rebuild resilience and reduce dependency on global inputs.
Power in the food system does not always reside where we assume it does, and understanding how influence flows through supply chains helps explain why farmers often have limited control over the markets they supply.
Digital transformation and artificial intelligence are no longer optional upgrades. They are the engines that will determine which organisations thrive, which merely survive, and which fall behind.
When everything is uncertain, the only constant you can build on is trust. Trusted relationships - with your suppliers, customers, partners, and your people - become your anchor. They allow you to move faster, adapt smarter, and innovate purposefully. Without trust, you’re just guessing.
If you are unwilling to disrupt yourself, there will always be someone willing to disrupt your business for you
The real magic happens when relationships are built on trust
In such a rapidly changing landscape, collaboration across the sector has become not just valuable but essential.
On June 19th, EFFP facilitated a discussion on supply chain resilience with leaders across the UK Food and Agriculture sector to celebrate our 20th anniversary.
Given the pressing need to produce food more sustainably, we’d like to share what we have learned over 20 years of fostering more collaborative supply chains.