Sustainable Food Systems, Ethics and Food Policy
Food systems and sustainability
Candidates must understand the food system as a chain from production, processing, distribution, retail, consumption to waste disposal. Know the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic and social) and apply them to food choices. Understand environmental impacts including greenhouse gas emissions, water use, land use, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, food miles and packaging waste. Know the concept of food security (availability, access, utilisation and stability) and food sovereignty.
Ethics and policy
Understand ethical issues in food production and consumption: animal welfare, fair trade and worker exploitation, genetic modification, food additives and labelling honesty, marketing to children, and food waste. Know the role of government policy and regulation, including Food Standards Australia New Zealand, labelling law, and initiatives such as the Health Star Rating. Traps include confusing food miles with total environmental impact (transport may be a small part of emissions), and confusing food security with food safety.
Reducing waste and improving sustainability
Know strategies such as buying seasonal and local produce, reducing packaging, composting, meal planning, using secondary cuts and reducing overconsumption. Understand that individual action and systemic policy both matter.
Rule of thumb
For any sustainability question, separate environmental, economic and social consequences and state one trade-off.
Worked example
A question asks whether imported lentils are less sustainable than local beef. Compare emissions per kilogram and per gram of protein, water and land use, not distance alone. Transport is often a small share of total emissions, so plant proteins can have a lower environmental impact even when imported. The social and economic pillars also need consideration, such as farmer income and food security.