ORFC 2024 4 – 5 Jan
The UK imports 85% of its fruit and 43% of its vegetables. Countries we import from are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, while financial pressures are causing UK growers to leave the sector. Yet, across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, market gardens are attracting new entrants, supplying local communities, integrating productive systems with biodiversity, sequestering carbon and engaging with the public. This session will launch the LWA’s new report ‘Horticulture across Four Nations’, which explores the contribution that agroecological horticulture could make to reducing our reliance on imports and building a more resilient, fresh produce sector. Growers featured in the illustrative case studies in the report will speak about how they are contributing to making this vision a reality, and what their respective governments could do to help.