There is an urgent need for a regional food system in mid Wales, a new report has found.

Though the area of Dyfed Powys has considerable strengths in agricultural production, the report calls the vulnerabilities to mid Wales’ local food system ‘substantial’.

The report, commissioned by the Local Food Partnerships of Dyfed Powys, led by Bwyd Powys Food and Cultivate, highlights the fragility of the rural Welsh food system, where despite 56 per cent of Wales’ total agricultural land being taken up by horticulture, it only takes up five per cent in Dyfed Powys.

Affordability of food is also a huge vulnerability in mid Wales, with 36 per cent of Dyfed Powys areas sitting in the most deprived 10 per cent of Wales, regarding access to services.

Whilst less than five per cent of the food produced in Dyfed Powys is consumed locally, none of the councils in the Dyfed Powys region has plans for emergency food shortages.

Richard Edwards, Chair of Bwyd Powys Food, said: “Food resilience is no longer optional – it is essential to civil preparedness, economic wellbeing and community health.

“Dyfed Powys has significant strengths: committed local actors, strong agricultural heritage, vibrant community networks and robust public procurement levers.

“With coordinated leadership, long-term investment and a commitment to inclusion, the region can build a food system capable of withstanding shocks.”

The research led by Miller Research and the Innovation Lab at the Centre for Alternative Technology combined desk research with participatory research, bringing together 80 actors from across the food system to explore a range of food shock scenarios.

The report recommendations span from the individual and household level - from growing cooking skills and using local produce to reducing waste and encouraging food growing at home - to a national level, calling for investment in local supply chains, developing emergency planning for stockpiling and working with national retailers on when to trigger food rationing.

The report calls for support for local production at the individual garden, community, and farmer level, to open new farms and gardens and expand production.

It calls for the development of governance and infrastructure to bolster local initiatives and prioritise vulnerable groups.

Tom Bajjada, Associate Director at Miller Research, said the report asks whether the current food system, relying mostly on imported food, will continue to function through climate and geopolitical disruption.

He added: “What we found is a clear imbalance: we produce significant volumes, but rely heavily on external supply chains and face real challenges in ensuring people can access healthy, affordable food locally.

“The opportunity now is to build on the region’s strengths - its land, its communities and its partnerships - to create a more balanced, connected and prepared food system.

“That means investing in local infrastructure, strengthening coordination, and treating food as a core part of how we plan for resilience in the years ahead.”

The Local Food Partnerships are leading the next phase of work to support scaling up awareness across the Dyfed Powys area.