New report urges stronger food security preparedness

A Green Paper released on Monday calls for Australia to prioritise food security with the same urgency as national security amid growing global instability.

The report, authored by Andrew Henderson and John Coyne, warns that Australia's agriculture sector faces significant challenges from geopolitical tensions, climate change, water security issues and rapid technological advances.

Despite Australia producing enough food to feed more than 70 million people globally, the authors argue that traditional policy approaches supporting food security are no longer adequate in today's rapidly changing environment.

The paper highlights a concerning gap in Australia's preparedness activities, noting that while defence forces are preparing for potential conflicts, similar coordinated preparation isn't happening across the food system. It points out that food security hasn't featured prominently in recent defence reviews.

“If Australia's national security and defence organisations are preparing for potential conflict, then Australia's agriculture sector and food system stakeholders should also be preparing for this period of strategic uncertainty,” the authors state.

Based on six months of consultations with government, private sector and civil society representatives, the Green Paper puts forward 14 policy recommendations. These include centralising coordination while decentralising delivery of preparedness activities, establishing clearer accountability, and embedding food security as both a national security priority and a key element of Australia's Indo-Pacific engagement.

The authors emphasise Australia's vulnerability as a trade-exposed nation that exports 70 per cent of its agricultural production, noting that disruptions to transport or infrastructure could undermine both domestic food security and Australia's reputation as a reliable global supplier.

Picture: credit ASPI