Could Your Community Grow Its Food Security?

Climate change is impacting food production, so now is the time to build local networks and consider alternative crops

- Alan Heeks

Welcome to this new column: let me start with an introduction I’ve been concerned about the environment and active in sustainability for over 20 years. Since 2017, this has taken on more urgency, and has combined with my interest in helping individuals, communities and businesses to raise their resilience to future challenges – including the climate crisis.

Let’s face it, understanding and engaging with the climate crisis is hard. The situation can seem overwhelming. My aim is to explore one aspect each month, help you to understand it, and see what you can do about it.

Are you still not sure if there is a crisis? Believe me, there really is. If you want evidence, look at David Attenborough’s documentaries for the BBC or at websites such as metoffice.gov. uk/climate change. You may not like Extinction Rebellion’s tactics, but this is a mass movement of people trying to help us all wake up and act before it’s too late.

Understanding food security

One of the voices I’ve found helpful in this complex situation is Jem Bendell, professor of sustainability leadership at the University of Cumbria. He has coined the term Deep Adaptation to help us focus on the major changes to our way of life that the climate crisis will demand of us in the years ahead.