FOOD SYSTEM
Better Food, Better Health
We’re creating a fairer food system for Kent and Medway. A system that’s more productive, kinder to the environment, and delivers nutritious, affordable food for the benefit of our communities.
What is a Food System?
A food system is an interconnected web of all the stages involved in producing the food we eat. It considers the external factors that affect the whole food supply chain: how growers produce their crops, how ingredients are processed and packaged, and whether we’re eating enough fibre and protein in our diets.
How we manage our food system impacts our individual well-being and the health of our planet. Political, social, economic, and environmental factors all play a role. To produce healthy, sustainable, and accessible food, we need to examine interactions across the whole system.
Local Response to a Global Challenge
Our impact on Kent and Medway’s food system has national significance. We play a vital role in providing the nation with fresh produce. And as a region, we are a microcosm of issues facing communities across the UK and the world.
40%
of British-grown fruit and vegetables are grown in
Kent and Medway.
80%
of fresh produce imports flow through our region.
2030
Southeast England will face severe water stress from population growth and environmental pressures.
16 year
life expectancy gap exists across Kent, with significant wealth and health inequality.
Our Food System Areas
At Growing Kent & Medway, we foster collaboration, de-risk innovation, and invest in new talent and capabilities. We work with cross-disciplinary partners and our network of specialist research centres to transform our food system.
We are focused on six key areas of activity:
Advancing innovation in fermentation and plant-based protein crops to create novel, sustainable, and healthy ingredients.
Improving the efficiency of our food system through smarter supply chains, reduced waste, and resilient infrastructure that responds to future challenges.
Supporting profitable and productive farming to produce nutritious food that doesn’t cost the earth.
We’re nurturing the health of our communities through education, collaboration, and innovation in the food system.
Developing advanced food manufacturing processes and investing in new product development to bring healthy, plant-based foods to market.
Converting horticultural waste and by-products into sustainable resources and materials that generate new revenue streams.
