Some 20 years or so ago, the old Soviet Union collapsed and with it the policy of providing Cuba with many of the foodstuffs required by that island of more than 12 million people. Such a sudden change in Cuban fortunes could give us food for thought, and even some for our dinner plates.

This was the stimulus for a complete change in domestic agriculture in Cuba, moving away from large mechanised farms to many hundreds of small urban gardens, encouraged by the setting up of an Urban Agriculture department.

Every piece of open ground, large verges, patches of unused grass, porches, balconies, backyards and house gardens were transformed into productive food growing areas, with the result that more than half of the capital’s food needs were met within its own boundaries.

While it’s true that Cuba is warmer and has a longer growing season than Yorkshire, it would still be possible to grow more of our own food than we do at the moment, and have done in the past, most recently during the Second World War when ‘Dig For Victory’ was the order of the day.

We are fortunate to have an allotment history in the UK that would allow us to make a step change in local food production if we had the political will and a small amount of extra legislation. Allotments have been around for a couple of centuries for non-commercial food production on public and private land legally protected by long leases.

Bradford district has 39 formal allotment sites and they are a snip at £27.20 rent a year, plus a water charge of £20, with half price for concessions. So for the price of a very good meal out, or a seat in the stalls or at Elland Road, it’s possible to have the right to cultivate your own patch of land for a whole year. It’s not surprising that there is a long waiting list for many of the sites.

Bradford has often set the standard for the rest of the country, with the first school meals service and the first public swimming baths, and now the Council has the opportunity to take the lead in domestic and community food production.

As well as the publicly-owned allotments, there are also a number of voluntary sector initiatives in the area that point to the possibilities, with the Holmewood Springfield community gardens, the community farm in Great Horton and the community gardens in Wibsey Park.

Significant support from the Council could encourage an explosion of food growing that would have significant health benefits as well as contributing to a reduction in food miles and an increase in food security.

I’ll eat to that.