“The 50 recommendations in my Future Generations Report will help Welsh government and those delivering public services to improve lives in Cymru,” said Walker.
“A week after publishing the report, I am already seeing major commitments to my calls and I urge more public bodies to sign up – including the 10 councils who are yet to make a commitment to more vegetables on school children’s plates.
“I look forward to seeing more action on nature recovery, more involvement of communities in shaping policy, ringfenced prevention budgets to solve problems before they occur, a national food plan and a real Living Wage plan by every public body within two years.”
Food Sense Wales recently published a report that said around 25% of all vegetables served in schools across Wales could be organic by 2030 with the right planning and investment in infrastructure.
A 3.3p increase per meal per day from local authorities and the Welsh government could enable the inclusion of two portions of local organic vegetables in school dinners seasonally.
Food Sense Wales first started exploring the procurement of locally produced veg for school dinners with the ‘Courgette pilot’ back in 2022. The pilot project that involved one grower and one wholesaler and delivered nearly one tonne of courgettes into primary schools in Cardiff that summer.
In 2023, with the support of the Welsh Government’s Backing Local Firms Fund, Food Sense Wales developed into the first phase of working with three growers in Cardiff, Carmarthenshire and Monmouthshire.
By the end of 2024, Welsh Veg in Schools was operating across seven local authority areas in Wales and with eight growers.
Local authorities in Pembrokeshire, Torfaen, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and Gwynedd will now join Welsh Veg in Schools, ensuring thousands of school children will benefit from fresh, locally grown vegetables.
Bridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Monmouthshire, Powys and Vale of Glamorgan councils are already part of the scheme.
Katie Palmer, head of Food Sense Wales, said: “At its heart, Welsh Veg in Schools is about getting sustainably produced, local veg into schools to nourish children via their school meals.
“We aren’t producing enough vegetables in Wales and we need to be building our own supply base, bringing benefit to local communities and reducing our reliance on imports through connecting local growers with local wholesalers and fostering relationships that help businesses flourish.”
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