The need to secure food supplies for a rapidly growing world population (by 2050 there will be an additional two billion mouths to feed) presents us with an immense task, if only because of climate change and the overwhelming demands we are placing on the natural environment. Producing healthy and safe food is a huge challenge in itself. The key to it is making use of nature’s own resilience, its powers of recuperation.

It all begins by cleverly and sensibly minimizing the use of artificial fertilizer and chemical pesticides. But at least as important is to change our habits, so that food is grown more locally and sustainably, with proper regard to the seasons, and wherever possible with less tillage and with greener and more eco-friendly methods of cultivation.