National Food Strategy for Wales: terms of reference

Supply chain fragility and the impact of renewed global instability, the climate and nature crises, and resultant economic pressures like inflation all represent critical and accelerating challenges for the Welsh food system. We are reaching critical tipping points faster than expected.

There is an imperative through the National Food Strategy for Wales to bring forward better ways of working that will:

• achieve a more transparent, holistic and coherent approach to policy development
• embed a systemic and long-term focus to the sustainable development of Wales’s food system
• direct public resources to better scaled and targeted initiatives that create genuine and lasting structural change
• fully recognise the national diet as a structural issue of the food system, rather than matter of individual choice

It is proposed that the strategy will take a whole-system approach, recognising that the Welsh food system is defined by deep interconnections between the public, private and third sectors. 

It will extend from farm to fork and beyond: from agriculture, primary production and fisheries, through to post-consumer outcomes. It will be holistic, recognising the opportunities across policy areas including poverty reduction, health, education, circular economy, international trade and investment, rural development, culture and the Welsh language.  

It will be practical and evidence-led: identifying those interventions that are working well (and those that are working less well), and where there are gaps offer suggestions for filling them, with the aim of aligning all food-related policies across multiple areas to deliver co-ordinated outcomes through a coherent Food Systems approach. 

This initiative is a dynamic, rolling process, prioritising early identification of immediate, transformative actions. By fully leveraging Welsh devolved powers and mobilising the expertise, talent and energy of civil society, this strategy will establish a unified sense of national purpose. Every citizen in Wales is an active stakeholder in how we feed ourselves. 

The primary purpose of the strategy is to provide the framework for a resilient, integrated, and sustainable food system for Wales. 

All work undertaken in furtherance of this aim will directly address the following four inter-related pillars:  

1. Health and wellbeing

• prevent and reverse escalating trends in diet-related illnesses, including obesity and type 2 diabetes 
• increase physical and economic access to nutritious, fresh, and sustainably produced food across all Welsh communities
• improve food literacy and food education across communities in Wales, including through a whole-school approach to food
• reduce health inequalities driven by food poverty and poor dietary options 

2. Food security 

• bolster national resilience against increasingly unpredictable, fragile, and fractured global food supply chains
•  enhance self-sufficiency in key food groups while protecting stable domestic production capacities 
• ensure equitable food distribution systems that remain functional during sudden economic or environmental shocks

3. Economy and rural development

• revitalise rural and foundational economies, by driving innovation and business development in food and farming, fisheries and aquaculture, and increasing value-added food processing in Wales  
• keep economic value within Wales, by maximising the value of ‘Made in Wales’ branding, strengthening local supply chain infrastructure, and by developing routes to market – including into public procurement
• create and retain high-quality, secure jobs across the agricultural, food manufacturing, and independent retail, hospitality and tourism sectors

4. Environment  

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate adaptation across the entire lifecycle of Welsh food production and distribution
• halt and reverse biodiversity loss by transitioning towards innovative and nature-positive food production methods
• protect and restore natural assets including Welsh soil health, water usage and water quality, local ecosystems and food waste to promote nature recovery

Work to develop the NFSfW will be led by an expert working group, which will steer the overall development of the strategy, bring together independent findings, and drive momentum. 

The group will consist of a maximum of 12 members, selected with a view to ensuring diversity, breadth, depth and complementarity of relevant expertise and experience. 

Members of the group will be chosen and mutually agreed by the Chair and the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability (CMRRS). The Chair will report to the Minister. 

Under the leadership of the Chair, the group will be responsible for delivery of key outputs against an agreed timetable. It will:

• work to identify overarching trends, shared vulnerabilities, and systemic opportunities that span different sectors across the Welsh food system
• recognise and amplify existing good practice
• identify where different policy priorities overlap or conflict and recommend ways to resolve or arbitrate these conflicts
• fast-track proposals on immediate, transformative operational interventions to the Welsh Government ahead of final strategy publication
• design, refine and oversee mechanisms that involve, mobilise, and co-create solutions with Welsh citizens, ensuring public ownership of the strategy 
• identify innovative ways to maximise deployment of existing Welsh powers and competencies

The group's advice will be provided to the CMRRS. Final decisions on government policy, investment, legislation and implementation will remain the responsibility of Welsh Government Ministers.

The secretariat for the expert working group will be provided by Welsh Government officials. 

The expert working group may from time to time, and where appropriate, convene a sub-group and/or call on external expertise to support focussed ‘deep dives’ on specific policy questions or challenges. 

These deep dives will contribute substantively to delivery against agreed outputs and outcomes, including by:

• analysing where and how a particular policy question or challenge interacts, impacts upon and/or is impacted by the four pillars of health and wellbeing, food security, economy and rural development and environment
• evaluating trade-offs and explicitly identifying systemic conflicts, as well as ways to navigate or overcome tensions between different policy aims
• identifying early or immediately actionable and low-cost policy or operational changes. These must deliver quick wins for Wales while laying the groundwork for the long-term strategy

Proposed areas for policy deep dives include but are not limited to primary school food, the security of the Welsh meat supply chain, and expanding edible horticulture in Wales. These are indicative rather than predetermined priorities.

The final programme of deep dives will be agreed by the Chair and the CMRRS, taking account of the group's assessment of priorities, available evidence and the proposed contribution to the overall objectives of the strategy.

The key proposed deliverables from the work to develop the NFSfW are:

• an interim report, outlining in particular the full scope of the policy challenges to be considered by the expert working group, the rationale and any emerging priorities or opportunities for early action
• recommendations for a comprehensive National Food Strategy, providing an integrated policy framework for Welsh Government intervention and action across the four pillars 
• a final report to complement and support the comprehensive strategy and provide a full summary of the work of the expert working group
• as and where early or immediately actionable policy or operational changes are identified by the expert working group, these should be recommended to the CMRRS, with a full explanation of how they reflect the over-arching aim of creating a resilient, integrated, and sustainable food system for Wales

The composition of the group will ensure a diverse range of relevant lived and professional experiences.

Through the appointment process candidates will be required to declare any private interests which may be perceived to conflict with the role and responsibilities of the group, including any business interests and positions of authority outside of the role. There is no exclusion on members sitting on other advisory groups at the same time.

Overall membership is not expected to exceed 12 members, including the Chair.
Final composition of the group will be agreed by the CMRRS.

Appointment to the group does not come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. 

Appointments to the group can be terminated by either party at any time in writing without notice. One month’s notice of dissolution of the group may be given by Welsh Government at any time. The group will be automatically dissolved after 31 December 2027 unless otherwise specified by the CMRSS.

The group members will demonstrate high standards of corporate and personal conduct, and will adhere to the following responsibilities:

• actively engaging in group meetings, bringing experience and knowledge to matters within the group's purpose
• be open to ideas and to work with best endeavours to reach a consensus on decisions
• provide suitable evidence and comparative information, wherever possible, to support advice and recommendations
• maintain a regular attendance at meetings and consistent support across the lifespan of the group
• maintain confidentiality of discussions and materials
• ensure that conflicts of interest and disputes are recorded and shared with Welsh Government as soon as they arise

The group will be chaired by an external stakeholder whose appointment will be made directly by the CMRSS. The Chair will be responsible for:    

• the effective order of the group’s business through the series of scheduled meetings towards achieving the group’s purpose
• facilitating a constructive debate that offers a fair and reasonable opportunity to contribute for all group members
• settling final decisions where the group has been unable to reach a consensus
• bringing to the attention of the secretariat any urgent or contentious matters that the group is aware of or is due to discuss
• regular briefing to the CMRSS on the work of the group

The secretariat function for the group will be provided by Welsh Government, as follows:

• managing all arrangements for the meetings of the group, including preparing and distributing meeting agendas and materials, recording and distributing minutes and actions, logistics and venue setting, travel and subsistence
• managing all interactions between the group and Welsh Ministers, including drafting and agreeing any interim briefings
• drafting and agreeing the group’s final report
   

The work of the group will be conducted through a series of meetings, according to the group’s workplan, with the option to arrange additional meetings as required.

 Ordinarily, meetings will be scheduled for 90 minutes.

Meetings will be held either virtually or face-to-face. Where possible a link to attend virtually will be provided. 

No deputies will be accepted in place of members.

In addition to members of the group, meetings will routinely be attended by Welsh Government officials.

Meetings will normally be closed to the public.

The meeting must reach a quorum to proceed. A quorum shall be reached when at least 50% of members, including the Chair, are in attendance.