Will the Cabinet Secretary outline a) how many food partnerships are there in Wales, b) who is responsible for capacity building with these food partnerships, and c) what level of engagement with these food partnerships has been achieved to date?
a) There are currently 22 Local Food Partnerships in Wales, one in each Local Authority area. The Local Food Partnerships are at different stages and levels of development.
b) Welsh Government has provided funding to our delivery partner Food Sense Wales to support building the capacity of Local Food Partnerships. Welsh Government funding supports Local Food Partnerships with longer term planning, developing strategic relationships with Public Bodies and Public Services Boards (PSBs), and facilitating new local supply opportunities. A report on the position of Local Food Partnerships across Wales during 2024/25 is available here: PartnershipsReportENG.pdf
c) Local Food Partnerships engage with Food Sense Wales both individually and through a network Community of Practice which meets regularly. Local Food Partnerships also engage with the Welsh Local Government Association for monitoring and administering Welsh Government funding. More widely, Local Food Partnerships have engaged with relevant Welsh Government support, including the Horticulture Cluster, which is delivered through the Food & Drink Wales Business Cluster programme.