Dr Martin Caraher

Dr Martin Caraher is Reader in Food and Health Policy in the Department of Health Management and Food Policy, at City University, London.

He originally trained as an environmental health officer in Dublin. After working in the north west of Ireland he developed an interest in the public health and health promotion aspects of the work. He completed his Masters and Doctorate in London. Since 1990 he has been working with Professor Tim Lang on aspects of food policy. He has worked extensively on issues related to food poverty, cooking skills, local sustainable food supplies, the role of markets and co-ops in promoting health, farmers markets, food deserts and food access, retail concentration and globalisation.

His current research interests include: the role of local food projects in promoting health; a review of food projects funded and supported by health authorities in England; an evaluation of local food projects in London; a review of the planning process nationwide in promoting food projects; cooking skills among young people and the changing nature of food skills and the culinary transition. His interests in sustainability come from the perspective of local food chains and the attempts by social enterprises to build sustainability into their work. He has worked for and acted as a consultant to the UK Dept of Health, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization.

Food Policy lessons from the UK and European 'crisis' zones

Lughnasa agus Samhain Europe and the UK in particular present lessons for the development of food policy. The battles over the architecture of policy have ranged from those within government – discussing the merits of universalist policies versus those based on targeted or selectivist approaches – to the ways in which the public and private sectors have debated and fought over food issues. Examples from the areas of school food, food advertising and linking agricultural and nutrition policies will be used to illustrate the 'battles'. A case is made for the development of food policies which are inclusive of all aspects of the food chain and grasp the issue of regulation. In addition the role of local projects in addressing public health nutrition advocacy and issues of globalisation will be set out.

In keeping with the Ngahuru theme of the conference the Irish festivals of Lughnasa (Lugh the sun god and harvest) and Samhain (feast of the dead and the coming of winter) have been incorporated in the title to illustrate the gathering of the crop and a then a time for reflection, often a luxury in food policy where the focus is on action.