That all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. (United Nations Committee on World Food Security)

A 2022 analysis by Teagasc using 2019 data indicates that there is significant potential to increase local fruit and vegetable production in Ireland. Currently Ireland is a net importer of fruit and vegetables. This import dependence may prove a food security risk due to climate change and bad weather preventing imports reaching the country.

Much less is produced in Ireland than you would think… 5% of apples, 20% of onions, 11% of tomatoes, 50% of cabbage, 10% of lettuce and 47% of soft fruit

Yes. Ireland has a great climate for growing them, so why are we not doing it?

The journey – the distance between where something is grown to where it’s eaten – is what we mean when we talk about ‘food miles’.

If your ingredients have come a long way this is often at the expense of a heavy carbon footprint. Global “food miles” emissions account for nearly one-fifth of total food-system emissions.

A food forest is similar to a standard forest but rather than incorporating typical woodland plants such as oak, birch hazel etc, a food forest incorporates fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans.

A food forest is a low maintenance system of growing food which increases the biodiversity, efficiency, and sustainability of food production. Food forests are self maintaining - no pesticides, herbicides, crop rotation, mowing or digging required. And minimal weeding!

They can be any size. ELP Food Forests start at 2m x 2m but these can be increased to any size that a school, community or business can handle!