Fife Diet goes down a treat as it beefs up the local economy

Now, two and a half years later, almost 1,000 people have followed their lead, in a local-eating campaign that organisers say has transformed the local economy.

The Fife Diet has led to new businesses springing up in Fife to cater for demand for everything from cheese to bread.

And the project – the first of its kind – has even inspired similar schemes elsewhere in the UK, such as the Cornish Diet.

The idea was the brainchild of local couple Mike and Karen Small from Burntisland, who say the entire area has benefited.

Members try to make sure as much of their food as possible is produced locally, to cut down on the environmental impact of the weekly shop.

As a result, local veg-box schemes – whereby produce is delivered from farms to homes – are thriving and new businesses have sprung up to cater for demand. Fife now has its own Anster cheese, produced by St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese using milk from home-bred Holstein Friesian cows. Similarly, a new bakery, the Steamie Bakehouse in Dunfermline, now makes sourdough bread to cater for demand for local produce.

The scheme has proved such a hit that other places have been inspired to follow suit. There is now a Cornish Diet, and Tipperary in Ireland has the Munster Menu.

Despite the success, Mr Small, a writer, thinks there is a long way to go. "There is lots still to change," he said. "We have a population of 350,000 people in Fife so we really want tens of thousands of people to take part."

However, Mr Small is realistic in not expecting people to be willing to give up staples such as tea, coffee, sugar and chocolate that have to be imported.

He said the best they hope for is for members to buy about 80 per cent of produce sourced locally and 20 per cent from overseas – which they encourage to come from Fairtrade sources.

"We don't advocate eating totally local produce," he said. "It's too difficult and there are some things that unsurprisingly people do not want to do without."

The Fife Diet will produce four seasonal recipe books this year, and a food map of the region is being created to help people work out where to get their produce.

There are also seed swaps, monthly recipe ideas posted on the project's website and a blog so members can exchange ideas.

The Smalls say eating locally has encouraged them to cut out unhealthy snacks such as crisps and biscuits. And whereas many people worry it will be more expensive, they have actually found it has lowered their weekly food bill by about 30.

Last year, the couple were named as Scotland's top green crusaders in the Scottish Green List, a competition run by the Scottish Sustainable Development Forum in conjunction with The Scotsman to find the country's environmental champions.

Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham said: "With their Fife Diet, Mike and Karen Small have helped highlight how individual actions can help improve our health and well-being, the economy and environment."

TIME TO FIND GREEN CHAMPIONS

THE search is on for Scotland's "green" champions of the past year.

The Scottish Green List 2010 will recognise individuals, companies and groups that have made an impact in helping the environment.

Run by the Scottish Sustainable Development Forum with The Scotsman, the scheme is in its second year. Last year's champions, Karen and Mike Small – the brains behind the Fife Diet – will be on the judging panel. Winners will be unveiled at The Scotsman's "Can the Green Economy Deliver for Scotland?" conference on 24 May.

Evan Williams, chairman of the Scottish Sustainable Development Forum, said: "Despite the challenges, people all over Scotland are making a difference and I look forward to seeing the nominations."

To nominate by 12 April, visit the website: www.ssdforum. org.uk