22 Jun – CAFOD’s new Campaign: ‘Fix the Food System’

By Matthew Maslen

CAFOD’s new campaign ‘Fix the Food System’ begins with a simple fact: “The global food system is broken. It doesn’t work for those who work the hardest – small farmers – and it’s a major driver of the climate emergency.”

The way that we produce and consume food is wasteful, exploitative and damaging. We produce enough food to ensure that no one in the world is hungry – and yet they are. 800 million people worldwide go hungry. Even here in the UK, in January 2022, 9% of adults were experiencing food insecurity.

As part of the campaign, CAFOD has produced a fact sheet outlining some of the most concerning and important issues with our current food system. The key points are shown in the section at the end.

But the ‘Fix the Food System’ is not just a criticism of the way things are currently done – it’s a call to action! The main change that CAFOD is hoping to see is that the agriculture business is returned to small-scale farmers. In order for us to protect local communities, and the planet, funding must be allocated to support local farmers. That’s why CAFOD is calling on you to email the Foreign Secretary to fix the food system.

If you want to get involved more in the campaign, Parishes across the Diocese of Leeds have been invited to host a 7 Stations: ‘Fix the Food System’ activity this summer.

Local CAFOD worker for the Diocese, Bronagh, said: “The activity works for any group size; it is ideal for between 10 – 30 people and lasts about 1 hour. There is a leader pack and prayer resources available for the activity. This is a really good way to help get more people involved in social justice in parishes and learn more about how CAFOD works to end global food poverty.”