Facts and figures

The big picture

• In Britain we have lost 97% of our fruit and vegetable varieties since 1900. Globally, 75% of the genetic diversity of crop plants was lost in the last century. 
• Although we may be capable of a large degree of self-sufficiency, this does not mean that we eat all that we grow: both imports and exports, measured in tonnes, have roughly tripled in the last 20 years.

Food growing in London

Londoners have a strong interest and heritage in food growing. The following statistics come from the London Food Strategy.

• 30,000 people in London rent allotments to grow vegetables and fruit, and 14% of households grow vegetables in their garden.
• There is a shortage of allotments in all the Inner London Boroughs, with waiting lists sometimes decades long.
• In London, social housing - owned by either the local authority or a registered social landlord (RSL - a term which incorporates social landlords such as housing associations, trusts, co-operatives and companies) makes up over 20% of homes. Increasingly those who manage social housing have responsibility not just for meeting the housing needs of their tenants, but also helping to build healthy, sustainable and cohesive communities. Where there is interest among residents, urban food growing projects can be an excellent way of contributing to these goals.

Farming facts and figures for London

The statistics below are from the London Food Strategy (2001) and from the specialist agricultural advisory service, ADAS.

• There are 12,064 hectares of farmland in Greater London, representing approximately 8% of London's land area. This proportion is significantly smaller than in the South East (62%) and England as a whole (81%).
• Farmland in London declined by 30% between 1965 and 1997.
• Although horticultural holdings in London continue to represent 17.5% of all farm types (compared to a UK average of 3.8%), they have declined due to urban development pressures and, in particular, the development of Heathrow.

• Livestock numbers are steadily dwindling, and only seven dairy farms now remain.
• Of the 472 registered holdings many are small (over 60% cover 5 hectares or less) and located predominantly in 5 boroughs which between them contain 85% of London's farmland: Bromley (30%); Havering (24%); Hillingdon (13%); Enfield (12%); and Barnet (6%).
• London's commercial farmland is primarily used for the production of arable and horticultural crops.

Farming in London's Green Belt

The following data is from ADAS figures, from 2003 and 2005 surveys and reports:

• In London's Green Belt, the total land managed 13,608 Hectares
• According to ADAS, many livestock farmers in London's urban fringe have reduced numbers in recent years mainly due to the lack of infrastructure (access to abattoirs, markets, etc.)
• Twenty-three percent of farming respondents in a 2005 survey said they feared for their business's survival in 2008.
• ADAS concluded that "Farming can make a very important contribution to London's environment and communities"; and "investment in farming in London has the opportunity to benefit all".
• ADAS concluded that there was a strong need for (a) Leadership and (b) Expert facilitation - bridging the gap between farmers and the end target market. This could be realised by the following activities, to which Capital Growth will also contribute: facilitating local food supply chain development and farmer collaboration; community engagement; and skills and technical advice.
• The ADAS 2005 study also identified many farmers interested in releasing more land for allotments, community growing schemes, etc., and a "need to identify models of land release that suit all parties farmers, community groups and planners".

The farmers of the future

There is wide concern that young people do not see farming as a viable career and so are not coming into the industry. In a survey conducted in 2005, around 57% of farmers in and around London were either approaching or over retirement age (i.e. aged over 55), and less than 1% were under 30 (about 14% in total being under the age of 44). Some of the main barriers to entry for enthusiastic younger people wanting to take up food growing are money, access to land, appropriate business support, training, and connection to strong and loyal market outlets for their food. This is one of the things that Capital Growth will seek to address – connecting enthusiastic food growers with land, skills and community, to help them establish thriving food businesses for the future.

Find out more

If you have a wider interest in urban food growing issues, you may wish to sign up to our urban agriculture e-newsletter, which circulates information about events, research and news on urban food growing (not just London - UK wide and sometimes international). Write to anna@sustainweb.org, saying "Please sign me up to your urban agriculture newsletter".