A major study into how Britain’s entire food system must change to keep food affordable without destroying nature, at a time of soaring world population growth, has been unveiled by Farming Minister Jim Paice.
For the first time, Government has brought together representatives of farmers, manufacturers, retailers, caterers, environmentalists and scientists to work out how to reconcile the competing demands of producing more food and improving the environment.
The initial report of the Green Food Project sets out the first steps on the road to:
Paice said: “With our increasingly hungry world every country must play its part to produce more food and improve the environment. Britain already punches above its weight, but we’re a small island with limited space, so we’ve got to show leadership and play to our strengths more efficiently.
“We’re not talking about setting Soviet-style targets but an overall approach in which the whole food chain pulls together. Whether it means embracing new farming technology or people wasting less, we’ve got to become more sustainable.”
The project follows predictions that a sharp rise in population, obesity, and western diets over coming decades will bring unprecedented demand for food and pressure on land and water.
Source: Defra
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