A CAMPAIGN to convert swathes of public land into allotments is gathering pace as part of a bid to grow enough vegetables to help combat food poverty.

The Edible Edinburgh drive aims to unlock thousands of acres for green-fingered residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

They say there are 234.93 hectares of vacant or derelict land in Edinburgh city.

It is thought the campaign - which includes a collaboration with Glasgow - may help cities move beyond foodbanks by creating community growing hubs.

The Herald: Renting an allotment can provide both physical and psychological benefit for you, as well as a plethora of delicious produce for the whole of the family.

Edinburgh planners are drafting the city's third allotment strategy and has identified a string of fertile locations for future allotments.

A spokeswoman said: "Edinburgh has an excellent record of creating new allotments across the capital, having constructed at least one new allotment site every year for the last six years."

Edible Edinburgh boasts agriculture experts, chefs and local politicians among its membership and is lobbying the city for more community land to grow produce.

The capital provides 1,434 allotments across 21 sites but with a waiting list of 2,700 people, would-be gardeners can wait up to five years to be awarded a plot.

It is thought 88 per cent of Edinburgh residents live within 400 metres of a green or open space.

Angela Mitchell, acting director of Soil Association Scotland, and a member of the Edible Edinburgh steering group, said the city is pioneering ways to produce more food locally.

She said: “Allotments and community growing projects can help increase local access to local food and have significant environmental benefits, as well as make fantastic use of the skills and enthusiasm of local people and bring communities together.

"There’s a great deal of work to do to make sure that land with the potential to produce food can be accessed and protected, and that we have the people and skills needed to grow great quality food in an environmentally sound way.

"We at Soil Association Scotland are keen to see the work Edible Edinburgh is doing to support new and varied approaches to growing food and using land continue, so everyone across the city can eat well.”

She said: "The Edible Edinburgh partnership was the first ‘Sustainable Food City’ in Scotland, and everyone involved is working to make real change happen - from businesses and public sector organisations to charities and individuals.

"Soil Association Scotland has worked hard to support this work, and we’re especially excited to see the really innovative work being done here to change how public sector organisations - the council, universities, schools, care homes and more buy and serve food, through one of Edible Edinburgh’s key projects, Food For Life Edinburgh."

So far Edinburgh University and and the council are among those who have gained the Food For Life standard certificate showing ethically sourced.