Hasan Nassar has an impressive CV for a 17-year-old. He’s a Food Foundation Food Ambassador and a member of the Citizen Advisory Council, who are working with DEFRA to ensure the new Food Strategy reflects the needs of people and communities across the country.

He lives in Halifax, West Yorkshire – an area with high levels of food insecurity. “I became a food activist to make a difference to disadvantaged young people’s lives in any way I could. After seeing classmates go hungry at school, I couldn’t just do nothing. I felt like I had a job to do and if I could, why wouldn’t I?”

Hasan in conversation with farmer Ben Mosey of Yolk Farm, Yorkshire.

Food has always been a big part of Hasan’s life. “Mealtimes are a family event. I've got four sisters, one brother, and then my parents, and food brought everyone together in my home. We always cooked together and I started cooking from 9 years old.”

But while good, freshly cooked food is a mainstay in Hasan’s home, he recognises that this isn’t the case for everyone.

“I wouldn’t say I live in a food desert, but there are take-outs everywhere. Where I live is one of the most deprived areas in Halifax. The shops selling fresh produce are starting to close because the prices are too high for customers. So all we have left are the take-outs. We still try to buy our food from the local markets and halal butcher but, the prices have gone up. My favourite vegetable when I was younger was ladyfingers (okra) which cost £3-4 per kg, but now they are £9-11 per kg.”

It’s a similar story across much of the country, with local greengrocers in short supply – and supermarkets and fast food takeouts on every corner. And it’s not just the availability of healthy food that Hasan’s worried about.

“Disadvantages within the food system are so broad. On one end, farmers are struggling against increasingly difficult weather, unfair pricing and other issues. On the other end, children are being fed poor food in schools and junk food companies are targeting young people through advertising. And everything in between. The food system is big so I’m just trying to improve things one step at a time.”

Hasan speaking to Mayor of York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority David Skaith, as part of the What Works Here Inquiries.

Hasan is doing just that. In his role as a Citizen Advisory Council member for the new Food Strategy, he’s observed government workshops with stakeholders, conducted workshops with other citizens, and helped produce reports for DEFRA policymakers. At the end of last year, Hasan and his fellow Council members led inquiries in different parts of the country to find out what’s working well on the ground, in place. And last month, the Council took those findings back to DEFRA Minister Angela Eagle and other politicians in Westminster.

Hasan was impressed with how receptive politicians were to what they had to say.

“Angela Eagle is a very direct person, but in a very good way. She was very understanding of a lot of issues we raised – what’s really going on for people across the country and even the struggles that young people face with food. It was good hearing it from a minister and from somebody high up in government.”

Involving young people in decision-making is something Hasan feels strongly about. “The decisions made now will impact our lives for longer. Plus, the thing with young people is that they say it how it is. If a kid doesn't like something or feels a certain way, they will tell you. If your tie is wonky, they will tell you your tie is wonky. There’s no beating around the bush or trying to bias things in a certain way. They’ll just tell you what the problem is and how it affects them.”

He’s also keen to emphasise just how much value citizens can bring to policymaking. “Nobody knows the system better than the people who have struggled in it day in, day out. As an advisory council, we’ve got the knowledge and the on-the-ground experience. We’re also willing to help. Government can tell us what they want, and we’ll do it.”

So, what does Hasan want to see from our leaders going forward when it comes to food?

“It’s really important the government continues what they're doing and keeps that momentum going. I want a food system that’s sustainable, equitable and that works for all communities across the UK. We also need to get to a stage where we’re not depending on other countries so much for food, and where there’s more locally grown produce feeding the people of this country. A Food Strategy can help us reach that point.”

Sounds good to us – Hasan for Prime Minister?