Food Security

 The current tragic war in Ukraine has brought the question of food security into sharp focus. Ireland relies heavily on imports, particularly wheat for bread. Clearly, it would be impracticable for us all to grow wheat in our gardens, but we can grow many more vegetables than we currently do. For those with no gardens, windowsills work perfectly for growing small salad plants, sprouting beans, herbs etc. For those with gardens, the amount one can grow obviously depends on garden size, but every effort should be made to grow as much as possible. Community gardens and allotments also facilitate vegetable and fruit growing. Homemade compost enhances the soil structure and health. Farmers who rely on artificial fertilisers are being affected by massive price increases coupled with reduced availability, so spreading farmyard manure will assume ever more importance. An ultimate goal would be to eliminate food waste entirely. From an environmental perspective, food waste has a huge – and unsustainable – carbon footprint. From an ethical perspective, with worldwide food shortages beckoning, waste is nonsensical and some would say immoral.