This briefing is based on a webinar discussion with Tim Lang, given to the AFN Network+ community on the 21st January 2025. Tim Lang is a leading scholar on food systems and has spent the last two years researching how prepared the UK is to deal with food system shocks – and what we can do to become more resilient.

The webinar and briefing outlines the current national resilience framework, pointing to a gap between official resilience planning and food system realities. Tim draws on his report Just in Case for the National Preparedness Commission (not published when the webinar was given), which addresses the state of civil food resilience and highlights the need for community over individualism.

He also discusses how delivering civil food resilience requires a radical but reasonable shift in public policy and more public engagement.

You can also read our Digest of Tim’s report, and watch the webinar.

This briefing is written and collated by Nina Pullman, freelance food systems writer for AFN Network+, and edited by Jez Fredenburgh, AFN Knowledge Exchange Fellow.