Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University London, is urging the nation to roll up their sleeves and get digging in his new role as president of Garden Organic, the UK’s leading organic growing charity.
Lang, who is famed for coining the phrase ‘food miles’, was formally announced as the new president of Garden Organic at the charity’s 50th AGM on Saturday, which marked the launch of Garden Organic’s new campaign - Dig for Victory.
Lang, a longstanding Garden Organic member and former organic farmer, will be urging even more of the UK to start growing their own food at the event.
During World War II, more than 50 per cent of the nation’s fruit and veg was grown on allotments and in gardens.
Myles Bremner, chief executive of Garden Organic, said: “At a time of rising oil prices, lower income and food shortages, growing our own food is a cheap and environmentally sensitive solution. Our Dig for Victory campaign will combat head-on the issues of food security by mobilising Britain’s gardeners into using their skills to grow food and enabling non-growers to give growing a try. It is time to re-skill a nation that has largely lost touch with nature.
Lang said: “Gardening is poised to move from a leisure activity with aesthetic purposes to become a vital core function of food production. Garden Organic, with its 40,000 members, is well positioned to enable a new culture of exchange between gardeners and encourage people across urban and rural communities to get growing. Rather than digging for the victory of the nation as we did during World War II, I see our focus as digging for food democracy, with every person playing their part in the future food supply.”
Lang takes over the presidency from The Right Honourable The Earl Kitchener, who retires from the position after almost 50 years of active involvement with the organisation.
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