Formulating a national food policy to promote healthy and sustainable food systems

Introduction

Food policies to achieve healthy and sustainable food systems that promote healthy and sustainable diets are recognised by local, state, national and international food policy agencies as an urgent food policy priority.

Assessment criteria

The assessment will be based on your ability to demonstrate application of the knowledge and skills covered in the unit. This assignment relates to learning in modules 1–3, and is designed to assess students against Unit Learning Outcomes 1–4.

Specifically, the assignment will be marked according to the following criteria (adopt these to structure the sub-headings in your report):

Review what a healthy and sustainable diet is and compare it with the current national diet (~1000 words, 20/60 marks)

Drawing on the references provided (including the link to the Australian Bureau of

Statistics website) and your own literature searching briefly summarise key evidence for:

1. A healthy and sustainable diet (10 marks)
2. The current national diet with a focus on (10 marks):
3. Consumption of 5 food group foods
4. Animal versus plant based foods
5. Discretionary foods  

Analyse the cause(s) of the gap between the current diet and one that is healthy and sustainable (~500 words, 10/60 marks)

Assess the food system cause(s) of the policy problem in relation to: dietary behaviour; components of the food supply chain (production, processing, distribution, retail, marketing); and/or broader public policy activities (agriculture, trade, finance, etc).

Formulate a national food policy containing a coherent set of policy actions to promote healthy and sustainable food systems (~1500 words, 25/60 marks)

• Identify the type of policy (government-led/public-private partnership, whole-of government/health sector, local/national/global) to tackle the food system causes of the policy problem.
• Review the evidence of the risks and benefits for the policy’s actions.
• Organise your identified policy actions in accordance with the three orders of food system change.
• Explain who (level of government, government sector/department, civil society, industry, professional agency, academia, practitioner, citizen) is responsible for

formulating, implementing and evaluating your policy and each of its actions.

 

Tables, figures, references (not part of word count, 2/60 marks)

• Tables and figures are not compulsory, but may be inserted to help illustrate your analysis.
• References are compulsory (minimum of 10 references) and are to be formatted in the Vancouver style.
• Accurately and appropriately cite references.

 

Clarity and presentation (3/60 marks)

• Present work in logical, scientific manner with clear expression and accurate citations.
• Use discrete, relevant headings and subheadings to address one common point or theme to support the development of your argument.
• Stay within the word count (3000 words).
• Ensure your writing is free from spelling and grammatical errors.