So Edinburgh residents are being urged to dig for victory, this time in the war against food poverty. The Edible Edinburgh campaign is calling for more land to be freed up for allotments in the capital, so that more people can grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables, with the aim of reducing the need for food banks.
It is no mere pipe dream to think that a bit of gardening could help those in straitened circumstances. During World War Two, the digging up of parks, sports fields and gardens to plant vegetables and build chicken runs was credited with producing vast quantities of food. Allotments alone were producing 1.3m tonnes of fruit and vegetables by the end of the war, more or less free of charge – produce that fed school children, helped keep scurvy at bay and fuelled the adult population on the Home Front.
Seventy years later, there are still children going to school hungry and adults living with gnawing hunger – not this time because the food is not available but because welfare cuts mean people cannot afford to buy it. Just as Captain Carrot and Potato Pete provided nutrients and energy in wartime, they could do so again for individuals, couples and families who are prepared to put in the effort to get an allotment going. The proposal is that vacant and derelict land could be pressed into service; why not?
If Edinburgh embraces this idea, it will enhance the city environment. But it is rather ambitious to imagine that new allotments will negate the need for food banks. Running an allotment is well known to be a major commitment, not to mention a tie. Middle class gardening and self-sufficiency enthusiasts are probably more likely to apply to run the allotments than frazzled single parents living in abject poverty. Still, if enterprising ways can be found of ensuring that produce from these plots is made available cheaply or free of charge to those who need it the most, this could prove to be a neat and sustainable way of helping struggling households and improving diet. Captain Carrot would approve.
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