Local Assembly Member Paul Davies held a short debate on food tourism and local produce in the Chamber this week. Mr Davies focused his debate on issues such as food tourism, catering for the demand for local produce and developing allotments.

Paul Davies said "I was delighted to be balloted for a short debate in the Chamber and to champion Pembrokeshire's local produce and food tourism hotspots. In Pembrokeshire we have great pubs, great restaurants, great farm shops, great farmers markets, great tea rooms and great guest houses. With first-class food and drink locally sourced in Pembrokeshire, it is essential that these products are marketed effectively and that the right support is provided by the Welsh Assembly Government, given their importance to the Welsh tourism sector and therefore the Welsh economy."

"We live in a country where the demand for locally sourced produce is increasing and it is therefore important that our Government caters for that demand and educates the people from a young age about the origins of food and the farming industry. The increase in demand for locally sourced food is illustrated in a South west Wales Business Trade Survey published in November 2010 where it showed that 96% of the businesses who use food sourced local produce."

"Also, as there is an increase in the number of people in Pembrokeshire looking to grow their own food, allotments can provide an important role in helping people understand more about local food, as well as the obvious social benefits such as community cohesion. Communal allotments can bring the community together and are a great way of teaching children the benefits of working with nature as well as giving them the opportunity to learn about healthy eating and local wildlife. I've been working closely with some communities in Pembrokeshire who are looking to develop allotment sites and this is, in my opinion, crucial if we are going to see a continued increase in the demand for local produce."