The UK is set to announce its intention to “play a full part” in meeting a United Nations target of boosting food production by 70 per cent by 2050, according to the Independent on Sunday.
Such a move is considered vital to keep up with rising global population levels, in addition to crop failures and water shortages brought on by climate change.
Soaring demand from the likes of China and India has increased fears that food supplies will be insufficient in the coming years.
The UK government has outlined a fresh approach to tackle these problems in a new document entitled the UK Food Security Assessment.
In it, the government stresses the need for new research to develop new crop breeds and techniques, while urging manufacturers, retailers and households to cut waste. Households are also encouraged to grow more food in gardens and allotments.
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn, was due to launch the new policy at the massive Thanet Earth greenhouse complex in Kent this morning.
“From the work we’ve done to assess UK food security, it’s clear that there needs to be a big change in the way food is produced and processed,” said a spokesperson from Fresca Group, which created Thanet Earth along with three grower organisations. “We’re dependent on natural resources and the environment to be able to produce food, and we need to protect and manage them properly so that we can continue to do so in the future.”
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