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Will the UK run out of Agricultural land by 2030?

Posted 25/06/2014

The report details the UK is going to be in need of up to 7 million more hectares of agricultural land by 2030. This is to meet the demand of a growing population. This figure represents more than 35% of the UK's existing agricultural land. It is estimated that currently we have around 5 million hectares available. 

The report quantifies a number of measures that could help to meet demand including improving yields and reducing food waste. But it has also warned that these initiatives might not be sufficient to close the gap, in which case some difficult choices would have to be made.

The UK population is projected to hit more than 70 million by 2030, including 14.6 million senior citizens. This sort of population growth will make increasing demands in food, water energy and other resources. 

The report was aimed to bring understanding to the amount of additional land needed and provide a simple clear vision for UK agricultural land use alongside a set of principles to guide future decision making.