New briefing on potential for food production in London’s urban fringe
Compiled by Sustain’s Capital Growth team with input from Shared Assets and many organisations and individuals working on farms or in supply chains, the Fringe Farming briefing presents the social, economic and environmental case for more commercial, agro-ecological fruit and vegetable production in London’s urban fringe.
Sustain’s interest in bringing sustainable food production closer to urban communities has been strengthened by the inspiration of many growers in and around London’s urban fringe; but it is time to upscale from being a fringe activity to a mainstream part of the food system. This briefing investigates existing farm productivity in London’s Green Belt land, identifies data gaps, structural barriers, current opportunities and steps that should be taken to allow this vision to take place.
The breifing focusing on London, is targeted at policy-makers, councils officers and practitioners looking to explore land opportunities and anyone interested in exploring the role of peri-urban land in creating resilient food supplies for cities.
It includes what the current gaps in information are as well as recommendations for all sectors. It builds on an event organised by Capital Growth and the Greater London Authority Food Team in February 2020, which enabled the sharing of experiences and ideas on how to access land to grow food, increase markets for this food and create the skills needed to grow food at scale on London’s urban fringe.
Sustain are currently seeking funding to work with partner organisations to take these opportunities forward with a focus on accessing public sector land in the peri-urban fringe, across the UK.
Read the Fringe Farming Breifing
You can also read our Fringe Farming blog on why Market Garden Cities need to be part of a resilient food supply
Published Wednesday 12 August 2020
Fringe Farming: The Fringe Farming project is a collaboration with partners across the UK to understand barriers, identify land opportunities and local actions, and develop national policy to enable agroecological farming at the edge of cities as part of a green economic recovery.
