Urban farming is coming to Camden

I went to see a fantastic urban food growing project on a housing estate in Hackney yesterday called Vacant Lot. It’s exactly what I hope we’re going to start doing on Camden’s housing estates now that the Sustainability Task Force’s Food Report has been to Council’s Executive.

Here are the recommendations from the Food Report that were accepted:

• To develop, in partnership with the Camden Primary Care Trust, a sustainable food strategy for the whole borough ie not just the Council.
• To explore the possibilities for a borough-wide food growing project as per Middlesbrough (www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/26/cityfood).
• To audit Camden’s housing estates in terms of food growing possibilities (www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/initiatives/edibleestates/london.html)
• To work with allotment holders to explore the possibilities of setting up a food bartering market.
• To explore the possibility of using Chalton St as a pilot for a rail-supplied farmers market.
• To require food suppliers to join the Carbon Disclosure Project (www.cdproject.net) scheme for carbon auditing of Camden Council’s supply chain. (NB Camden Council is the first local authority in the country to do this with the CDP.)
• To promote the London Food Link’s Local Food Finder scheme (www.sustainweb.org/localfoodfinder) to food retailers and catering establishments.
• To scope a training programme for helping businesses deal with food waste.

You can see the original report on our website: www.camden.gov.uk/susforce .