Faced with the major challenges of population growth, climate change and pressure on the world’s natural resources, there is increased recognition at the highest political levels of the importance of modern, science-based agriculture in securing the world’s future food needs.

Earlier this year, government chief scientist Professor John Beddington warned of a “perfect storm” by 2030, in which food shortages and scarce water and energy supplies could lead to conflict, famine and mass migration.

Beddington forecast that a 50 per cent increase in food production was needed by 2030. With limited agricultural land available, he highlighted the crucial role of science and technology in boosting crop yields and improving the input use efficiency of production systems.

He also noted that the effects of climate change - including extreme weather events and a shortage of water - mean that the world’s agricultural productivity will rely increasingly on higher-latitude temperate regions, such as northern Europe.

In the same vein, the House of Commons’ Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee recently called for the UK to take a leadership role in addressing the world’s food security needs, in particular highlighting the potential to combine the UK’s natural advantages with technological innovation to increase domestic production of fruit, vegetables and cereals.

This resurgence of high-level interest in productive British agriculture, including horticulture, is extremely welcome, but it must be matched by evidence-based policies that enable, rather than disable, access to innovation, if interest is to be translated into activity. UK action to secure future food supplies must take place in the context of the EU, whose policies are currently blocking access to the technologies that farmers will need to boost production.

Pesticides, for example, play a crucial role in maintaining an adequate supply of high-quality, affordable food. Without pesticides to keep weed, pest and disease pressures in check, crop yields would fall by around a third.

Yet despite strong UK government opposition, a lack of scientific scrutiny of proposed legislation in Brussels has resulted in the adoption of new EU rules on pesticide approvals, which will see many safe and widely used products being withdrawn from the market with no demonstrable benefit for consumers or the environment - in fact, the ongoing push for 5 A DAY consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables is at risk, with a potential knock-on impact on public health.

Beddington himself has described the new rules as “an abrogation of scientific responsibility”.

In its recent food security report, the EFRA Committee invited suggestions for future food-related inquiries. For fresh produce, curbing the impact of EU regulation in stifling investment, innovation and progress in modern crop production must be top of the list.