Sir - Wendy Hands is rightly concerned that "the UK will have to import over half of its food within a generation" ("Problems feeding our increasing population", WN, March 11th).

The best answer to this problem is for our society to move away from consuming animal products and towards a plant-based diet, which would be much more efficient in terms of food production.

Research has shown that to feed the UK population on a vegan diet, we would need less than two-thirds of the land currently used for crops, because so much nutrition is wasted when these are fed to farmed animals first, instead of directly to humans.

Veganism is therefore not only kinder to animals, less damaging to the environment and better for our health, it also offers a solution to the problem of feeding a growing population.

These are the reasons why more and more people are becoming vegan or vegetarian every year and many others are reducing their consumption of meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies exists to help people switch to a more humane diet and lifestyle and we can be contacted at info@worcsveg.org.uk, on 01562 700043 or via our website at www.worcsveg.org.uk

Ronald Lee

Communications Officer

Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies