Presently, a greater percentage of food items consumed by the public are conveyed from farms that are several miles away. A lot of people propose that patronizing local farmers exerts better influence on the local economy as opposed to transporting them from far distances. I believe that procurement of locally-grown food presents more benefits such as an eco-friendly environment when compared to its potential drawbacks.
Purchasing farm produces from local farmers supports indigenous businesses which impacts hugely on generated revenue and makes food relatively affordable to people. The local circulation of funds fosters more investments and job creation that improve overall standard of living of the public. In addition, food is consumed in their fresh state when grown locally which positively affects health. For example, perishable goods like tomatoes have the potential to grow fungi when transported under adverse conditions, over long distances. Consumption of such compromised tomatoes even in a cooked state, results in food poisoning. Also, Higher demand of indigenously grown food encourages planting of several types of vegetations. The leaves of these plants are known to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen fostering an eco-friendly environment. Moreover, combustion of fossil fuels used in transportation reduces drastically, ameliorating the negative effects of air pollution.
Although buying locally produced food has more benefits, there can be disadvantages when executed poorly. Localities that do not possess adequate workforce needed to match the surge in demand, run the risk of food scarcity and inflation. Furthermore, the weather in some geographical locations does not support the growth of certain food produces, which makes them rely heavily on importation. The people in such areas run the risk of malnutrition and deficiency in essential minerals if they stick strictly to local produces. For instance, in Nigeria, different berries like strawberries and blueberries grow only in the northern region due favorable climatic conditions. The southern region depends hugely on the north if they must consume these nutrient dense fruits.
In conclusion, patronizing locally grown food encourages farm work, strengthens the locally generated revenue and encourages an eco-friendly environment. These advantages significantly outweigh any potential drawbacks that may arise from prioritizing localized agriculture. Therefore, the local council may consider implementing this strategy to harness its numerous benefits.