Food security is national security. It is also regional security

November 24, 2025

By Shaun Coffey FTSE FAIA CRSNZ FAICD

Australia has taken a constructive step with the appointment of the National Food Council. It signals a clear recognition that food security matters to every household, every sector, and every region of the country – and beyond our borders.

For the Crawford Fund for Food Security, the message is simple. Australia cannot secure its future food supply on its own. Our well-being is tied to the resilience of our neighbours. A stable and well-nourished Indo-Pacific strengthens our national security as much as our regional relationships.

Our submission to the strategy emphasises that regional food security must move from a consideration to a core priority. Hunger and malnutrition shape stability. They shape trade. They shape the choices nations make under pressure.

Australia has the networks and experience to lead through partnership, science, and long-term investment in people. The new Council provides a platform to bring these strengths into the national strategy.

CFFS has a core commitment to advocate for Australia’s investment in agricultural research for development. We note that only around 2.5 per cent of Australia’s development assistance budget is invested in agricultural research for development, with an estimated 10:1 economic benefit ratio. Australia already gets a whole lot of value, for a relatively small outlay. Even modest increases in investment promise significant additional returns.

The Crawford Fund for Food Security welcomes the Council and looks forward to contributing practical ideas, evidence, and capability that support a food secure Australia in a food secure region.