Europe UK (Commonwealth Union) – Food security is a goal many countries have strived to achieve for many years. However with the recent economic crisis with strong links to the energy crisis as a result of geopolitical tensions has mad this goal even more urgent. Urban growing spaces along with encouragement for the owners of home gardens to grow more fruits and vegetables have been encourages by governments and food security experts across the world.
Researchers have recently indicated that enhancing homegrown fruit and vegetables can add £0.5bn to the British economy. As Britain attempts to recover from the recent fruit and vegetable limitations, researchers are indicating ways to elevate homegrown produce, which will be both economical and environmentally beneficial.
The UK heavily depends on external countries for the supply of fruit and vegetables. As food consumption moves to plant-based foods and climate-vulnerable nations struggle more with food production, the requirement to raise production and resilience in UK agriculture is needed according to researchers.
To tackle this issue, a new Green Paper is set to shape national strategy to further fresh produce grown within the UK. This takes after the National Food Strategy released in 2022, that put out goals for a healthy nation.
‘Growing British’ was informed by a study conducted at the University of Warwick and the Warwick Crop Centre which enhances sustainable agriculture, horticulture and food security. Growing British backing a 30 percent elevation in UK consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables by 2032, where even 50 percent of this being home-grown can give an additional £0.5 billion in direct GDP contributions to the UKs economy each year, as well as environmental and nutritional benefits.
“The current shortages of fresh food on supermarket shelves demonstrates the high dependence of our diets in the UK on imports. With appropriate support the UK can and should grow much more of our fresh food – vegetables, salads, herbs and fruit,” explained Professor Richard Napier, Deputy Head at the University of Warwick, School of Life Sciences.