Why the East of England Holds the Key to Our Future Food Security

George Freeman MP for mid-Norfolk and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture at the launch of their report in Parliament this week.

The UK’s ability to feed itself has quietly eroded over the past three decades. Once 72% self-sufficient in food production, we now produce just 60% of what we consume. If current trends continue, that figure could fall below 40% by 2050. This warning comes from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Science and Technology in Agriculture, in its landmark report Feeding Britain Sustainably to 2050 — a document that calls for nothing less than a national reset of how we think about farming, food and land use.

The APPG proposes a 30:50:50 Framework – a simple but urgent mission for the UK to increase its agricultural productivity by 30% and halve (50%) its environmental footprint by 2050. The task is to produce more from less — a balancing act between the competing policy challenges for land use in meeting demand for food, energy, and housing, while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions and increasing biodiversity.

The report paints a sobering picture. By mid-century, as much as 23% of farmland could be lost to non-food uses such as housing, solar farms, and biodiversity schemes. Without a strategic shift in policy, the UK risks becoming ever more reliant on volatile international supply chains — a risk made painfully clear by recent global disruptions. The APPG is unequivocal: food security is national security.

The 30:50:50 Mission rests on four pillars:

1. Farm Policy: realign agricultural payments and environmental schemes to reward outcomes, not just practices.

2. Regulation: reform and streamline rules to make innovation in crop science, genetics, and technology more responsive.

3. Research and Innovation: strengthen the translation of scientific discovery into real-world practice on farms.

4. Data: build a national framework for farm-level metrics and benchmarking to measure sustainable efficiency.

Together, these pillars form the backbone of a new vision for “smart, sustainable intensification” — farming that is both economically viable and environmentally restorative.

The East of England: Britain’s Agricultural Frontier

Nowhere is this mission more relevant — or more achievable — than in the East of England. Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire provide the country’s richest concentration of Grade 1 and 2 farmlands. It already produces a disproportionate share of the nation’s cereals, vegetables, and horticultural crops. Yet, it also faces the greatest constraints: water scarcity, climate pressures, and competition for land from housing and energy development.

The APPG’s call for a science-led approach aligns perfectly with the East’s existing strengths. The region is home to some of the most advanced agricultural science institutions in Europe:

• Niab in Cambridge leads globally in crop science, plant breeding and precision agriculture, pioneering technologies that increase yield while reducing inputs.

• The Norwich Research Park, anchored by the John Innes Centre, Earlham Institute, and Quadram Institute, is a powerhouse of agri-genomics, food security and environmental science.

• TWI and the University of Lincoln are at the forefront of automation and agri-robotics, translating innovation into practical field applications.

These organisations represent precisely the kind of research ecosystem the APPG envisions — one that connects fundamental science with the realities of farming. Their work in AI-driven crop monitoring, precision breeding, and digital farm modelling could form the testbed for the national Farm Data Initiative proposed in the report.

Innovation for National Resilience

For the East of England, the report’s recommendations are not abstract policy ideas but practical levers for growth. A stronger focus on translational research could channel the region’s scientific expertise into solving on-the-ground problems — from soil degradation in the Fens to sustainable irrigation systems in water-stressed catchments.

Equally important is the report’s call to protect high-quality agricultural land. As development pressure mounts around Cambridge and Ipswich, safeguarding farmland is not simply about preserving the countryside; it’s about ensuring that the region continues to underpin the UK’s food supply.

The APPG also argues for new mechanisms of land value capture and investment to support innovation in rural infrastructure — echoing local debates about how to make growth work for farming communities. Combined with better connectivity and digital infrastructure, these reforms could unlock a new era of precision farming and data-led sustainability.

A Regional Blueprint for a National Mission

If Feeding Britain Sustainably to 2050 is a call to arms, then the East of England is its natural starting point. The region combines the scale, the science, and the soil to lead the UK’s transformation into a world leader in sustainable agriculture. The expertise of organisations such as Niab, and the companies situated on the Norwich Research Park already embodies the report’s ethos: that innovation, data and collaboration must drive the next generation of farming.

By investing in these assets and aligning national policy with regional capacity, the Government could turn the East of England into a living laboratory for the 30:50:50 vision — one that grows food sustainably, enhances biodiversity, and strengthens Britain’s resilience in an uncertain world.