By Martin Johnstone

The right to food is amongst the most basic of human rights. This right is being denied thousands of people living in Scotland. Last year, the Trussell Trust estimated that they provided emergency food for almost 118,000 people in Scotland, including more than 31,000 children. These are people who, without support, would have gone hungry.

Many probably were hungry when they went to the food bank. The problem is even worse than these figures suggest. It is unavoidable, therefore, that Scotland has a growing crisis around food poverty. This is not a problem caused by food shortage. We produce and import more than enough food.

Indeed, we throw away a vast amount of waste food every day. It is not even primarily a matter of uneven distribution, although it is true that good quality food is more accessible in some neighbourhoods than others. The problem is about lack of money. There is a growing number of people whose incomes have remained static over recent years – or have actually reduced – while the cost of food has increased significantly.

On Saturday, a small group of people gathered in Glasgow’s George Square to speak about their experiences of struggling against poverty every day. They spoke powerfully about the "black hole of poverty" that more and more people are being sucked into by low wages, cuts in benefits, job sanctions, old age and poor health. Food poverty is part of that black hole.

To date, food banks have been the default response. The generosity of those who support and run foodbanks is to be deeply admired – they are doing a remarkable job – but with the increasing numbers it is clear that we need a different approach. Food banks are about providing emergency food aid but if the problem is continuing to get worse, it is clear that what we have is a systems failure.

I would draw a parallel with international aid. When disaster strikes, we provide water, food and clothing parcels. However, in time we seek to move to a scenario when we support infrastructure costs that help local communities to recover from the catastrophe and build a better future. If, for example, the bulk of our aid five years after an earthquake is still emergency food provision then we have failed.

Yesterday saw the first meeting of an independent working group on food poverty supported by the Scottish Government. The group brings together people who are passionate about overcoming food poverty including, critically, people who have direct experience of not having enough to feed themselves and their families.

Over the coming months the group will identify a number of key ways to develop a more effective and sustainable response to food poverty. It will report in the New Year and making specific recommendations to the Scottish Government.

Whilst I have witnessed some of the appalling results of food poverty – friends who have told me of not eating for several days and others who talk poignantly of not being able to afford to cook the little food they have – I have also seen glimpses of a better future.

That future has a number of different components including: a commitment to food justice; local people involved in growing and cooking local food together; and the delight that comes when people are able to sit down and enjoy food together. There is clear evidence that these different elements not only reduce food poverty but also decrease isolation and poor mental health and increase community cohesion.

On a Thursday, if you walk in to St Francis’ Church Hall in the Gorbals around lunch time you will see as many as 100 people sitting and eating together. They will be people of all ages and many different nationalities. Some will have been to buy the food the day before and spent the morning cooking it. Others serve the food – which is delicious – and clear away the empty plates. There is laughter around the tables but there are also serious and painful conversations.

As the community makes the food so the food is making community. I hope that, in our work over the coming months, we can find the magic ingredients to encourage many other similar – and different – expressions of overcoming the scandal of food poverty.

Rev Dr Martin Johnstone is Secretary of the Church of Scotland’s Church & Society Council and Chair of the Food Poverty Working Group