Sheila Moorcroft

Supplies of local food may reach new heights in the future, if a US professor has his way. But in the meantime, a number of other initiatives may make it easier for local food to be part of our lives, over and above the spread of farmers' markets.

Professor Despommier suggests building large vertical farm 'skyscrapers' in cities, where controlled agriculture could provide year round supplies of organic produce, reduce food transport and free up many acres of land. One acre in such a 'farm' equates to four or five outdoor acres. However, even he admits the benefits are several years off.

In the meantime, other schemes could provide closer links. There have for many years been Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) schemes across the world in Japan, many European countries and the USA. CSA schemes enable city dwellers 'buy into' a farmer's crops to a greater or lesser extent, providing them with access to quality food and the farmers with a steady market and funding. City or urban farms provide significant amounts of food in developing countries.

Super markets are being asked to provide a '20 mile aisle' - to bring local produce together in one place to make it easier for shoppers to find local produce.

A school in London has set up a garden scheme to grow food. But not only is food a focus, it provides opportunities for older people among the local immigrant population to pass on their agriculture and food skills and be more involved in the school.

Why is this important?

At the global level, it is about finding ways to feed the burgeoning world population, more and more of whom live in cities. In the marketplace, it could bring new opportunities to meet consumer demand for fresh, local produce where the source and production methods are known. At a government level, it might help on a number of fronts with greater understanding of food thus helping increase healthy living.

If city farming skyscrapers are able to use renewable energy, there could be significant reductions in CO 2 both from reduced transport as well as reduced chemical use.

In the near term, CSA or city farms and local schemes may help reconnect people to their communities and food culture in new ways.

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