Farmers and landowners should capitalise on growing demand for home-produced food by offering land for allotments or community farms, says rural specialist Savills.
Speaking at the Royal Cornwall Show this week, Associate Director Paul Cressy said offering land for community use could not only prove profitable, but also improve farming’s links with the public and educate children about where food comes from.
"Farmers are enjoying a resurgent interest in local food, and more and more people are wanting to get stuck in and grow their own produce. In Cornwall there are more than 500 people on the waiting list for an allotment – and that rises to a staggering 100,000 across England.
"By making land available for allotments or community farms, landowners can rekindle the link between food and farming, which has been so badly eroded in recent years. In doing so, they can not only produce a reasonable income from small parcels of land, but also enable local people to produce their own food, which is good for them and for the environment."
With up to 16 plots created out of an acre, rental incomes will often make far greater returns for landowners than usual letting agreements. Other options include land sharing, championed by chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, whereby landowners offer land for people to grow food or keep livestock.
"Many farmers have a piece of land which lies relatively unused – this is a great way of bringing it back into production and improving links with the general public," said Mr Cressy. "However, any such agreements should be carefully drafted, as once allotments are created, reversional use can be limited."
