How filling the UK with fruit and vegetables could make us and the environment healthier

Communities should have a right to improve the unloved public spaces around them by growing fruit and vegetables, according to a new campaign that’s calling for a “Right to Grow” law in the UK.

This law is akin to the Countryside & Rights of Way Act that first gave the public the right to roam across parts of Britain’s countryside in 2000, aims to get local councils and landowners – such as the NHS and water companies – to open up parts of land in towns and cities for cultivation by local citizens.

Initiatives like Incredible EdibleThe campaign’s leaders, the Activists, have been successfully reclaiming public spaces for food growing projects for more than a decade. We set out in order to understand how opening these spaces to anyone who wishes to grow food could help improve environmental, mental and physical health across the country.

The UK’s food security is a matter of increasing importance. Brexit and the pandemic have shown us what we can expect. Food shortagesThis is what it could look like: With the invasion in Ukraine and rising fuel prices and fertiliser costs, more turbulent times seem likely. 84% and 46% respectively of fruits and vegetables consumed in the UK are importedThese food groups are particularly vulnerable in times of supply crises.

Our ResearchIt is estimated that 40% of all the land in England, Scotland, and Wales could be used to grow food. Public land accounts for just half of all green space. This means that even if only a small percentage of it was used, it could make an enormous difference in the availability of healthy food.

This type of urban agriculture is unlikely to ever happen. Replace conventional farming, it could play a big role in boosting food supply resilience and perhaps help ease some of the UK’s growing Food insecurity.

Harvesting health

People get more than just fresh fruit and vegetables when going outside to grow: there’s now heaps of Do you have evidence?For the health and well-being benefits of spending time outdoors. Our ResearchIt is possible to make some of these benefits by getting involved in food production. HealthyMore sustainable food choices

Urban growersIn our research, growers were more likely to have a higher-quality diet than non-growers. Our research suggested that growers may be more concerned about the food they eat and where it came from.

Enhancing ecosystems

Our food has a tendency to have an environmental impact. The agricultural and food sector plays an important role in climate change. A third of the population is affected.of greenhouse gas emissions. Other adverse environmental effects include primary contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and many other negative impacts. Loss of biodiversityIt is a major driver of Water quality problems.

The jury is still out on whether urban farming has a lower environmental footprint than traditional growing. Recent studyWe need better data to make informed decisions. Urban growing is not only a way to produce healthier, more local food but it also has a positive impact on the environment.

Our Recent reviewAll evidence suggests that urban food growing spaces such as farms and allotments can produce as diverse a variety of foods as any other space. ecosystem benefitsAs well as other urban green spaces like Parks School grounds. They can clean the air and regulate local climates. They can also store more carbon. They reduce flooding risk and promote biodiversity.

Growing food in cities and towns can be a great way for us to make the most out of our land and address the pressing issues we face when growing food. Food and health, Social environmental inequalities. As recognized by the House of Lords Land Use in England CommitteeDeciding how to best use our land became a national priority earlier in the year.

We need land that supports better nutrition and lifts people out of poverty. food poverty. We need land that supports climate change mitigation and reinforcement Carbon sequestrationWhile encouraging biodiversity, affordable homes and thriving places for people to live and work are all possible.

This means that we can’t afford to ignore the little pieces of land in cities and towns that have been neglected and are unused. A “right to grow” law could be one way to bring these to life, while empowering people who love where they live to help improve it.