Garden Organic has said it is pleased that the contributions of community food initiatives will be represented on the government’s new high-level food policy group, created by DEFRA secretary of state Hilary Benn.

The UK’s leading organic growing charity believes that community growing, including the role of home food production, will be instrumental in helping to secure the future of food in the UK.

Garden Organic’s policy director, Margi Lennartsson, said: “We are optimistic that the advisory group, through the inclusion of community food representatives, as well as the presence of our president, Professor Tim Lang, will greatly benefit our efforts to get gardens featured on the government’s food policy agenda.

“Obviously the challenge of food security requires fundamental strategic changes to world agriculture, with a need to adopt agro-ecological approaches and sustainable production systems, based on the use of renewable energy and organic principles and practices.

“Simultaneously, we must not forget the other opportunities we have in our immediate reach, and this is where gardens and green spaces are key.

“Garden Organic’s role is to get more people engaged in food production through home, community and allotment growing. And with more than 82 per cent of householders in the UK having access to gardens, with little discrepancy between high- and low-income households, the potential for growing fresh, nutritious food in these spaces is massive.

“We are already helping increasing numbers of people to grow their own - what we need to do now is convince the government that gardening matters in the challenge for food security,” added Lennartsson.

Topics