With climate change making life increasingly difficult for some farmers, and rising political tensions around the world often disrupting the food supply chain, a Berkshire company is looking at how we can become more self-sufficient. The Innovation Agritech Group is growing crops indoors 365 days a year.
Hard to grow in the British climate, basil, coriander and lettuce leaves are being nurtured on a series of 16ft by 16ft (5m by 5m) vertical panels. Italy this is not, but, at IAG's indoor farm in Bracknell, the agricultural technology company is looking at providing herbs and foods in the UK all year round.
Farmers fear what a prolonged dry spell will mean for harvests later this year. Last year, England suffered its second worst on record. When not looking after her 300 cattle on her farm near Swindon, Wiltshire, Liz Webster heads up the Save British Farming campaign group.
She said the changing climate is a huge challenge to her industry. Government policies in recent years have prioritised the environment over food production, she said, adding: "We have exposed ourselves to a huge deluge of imports, which is destroying our home production and that's plainly ludicrous."
Read more at BBC