Summer weather extremes exposed the fragility of local food networks across Wales, prompting fresh warnings about reliance on distant supply chains.
Only about 0.1% of agricultural land in Wales is currently used for horticulture, despite approximately 90% of the country being utilized for agriculture, according to Duncan Fisher, co-founder of Our Food Trust. The organization aims to build 100 farms across Wales to supply local markets with domestically grown fruit and vegetables.
Fisher runs Wern Farm near Newtown, Powys, alongside growers attempting to shift that balance. Food security discussions have intensified across the UK following warnings from Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, who advised citizens in October to keep emergency supplies such as water, tinned goods, baby food, torches, and mobile phone charging packs ready.
Fisher pointed out that the UK operates on a centralized model where supermarkets control the majority of retail food acquisition. “We are hugely dependent and these vegetables are coming from really vulnerable parts of the world like south Europe and north Africa – the areas most prone to drought, fires, and overheating,” said Fisher, via Yahoo News.
There’s no storage, it’s a just-in-time system so the food is stored in lorries moving across motorways. That is a security hazard because it’s very vulnerable to cyber attacks. If the system goes wrong, there’s no resilience in it. The food just runs out straight away.
Duncan Fisher, Our Food Trust co-founder, via BBC News
Securing permanent housing for agricultural workers remains a primary obstacle for expanding local production. Fisher explained that growers need to live on-site to manage unexpected overnight weather events or livestock breaches.
Collaborating with Powys council and the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority allowed the initiative to establish three temporary dwellings on 36 acres of council-owned land, with three additional homes currently under construction.
Lydia Dibben, a 28-year-old grower at Wern Farm, said that access to land and housing dictates whether new farmers can enter the profession. Without provided housing, she would need an outside job to cover rent, leaving insufficient hours for farming. “I’m only growing on about just over an acre this year, and we’re now doing 50 veg boxes a week,” said Dibben.
Working conditions during the recent summer months proved grueling. Dibben described entering fields at 05:00 and retreating indoors by mid-morning when polytunnel temperatures became unmanageable, returning outdoors only after 17:00 to water crops until midnight.
Government bodies are currently evaluating domestic production frameworks. The Welsh government reported “significant progress” on a national food strategy designed to “target a more resilient, integrated and sustainable food system” by mapping the current horticulture sector with key stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the UK government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated: “We recognise the hurdles that our vital fruit and vegetable growers face, which is why we are slashing planning red tape and investing £200m to help farmers trial crop boosting technology.”
