Prince Charles has praised the "dig for victory spirit" present in the UK amid the coronavirus pandemic, as more people began growing their own vegetables.
The 78-year-old royal has congratulated citizens of the UK who have begun to plant their own produce in their garden amid the global health crisis, as he says choosing to home grow instead of buying from supermarkets helps to limit "food shortages".
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Farming Today’, he said: "Perhaps there are one or two silver linings amongst the otherwise very dark clouds which have been affecting us all over the last three months and one of those is the issue of food. "I was fascinated to hear that sales of vegetable seeds reached an all-time high as a ‘dig for victory spirit’ swept through the land and urban and country dwellers alike decided to requisition their gardens, allotments and window boxes to grow food in a way perhaps not seen since the Second World War."
Charles has long been a passionate campaigner for climate change activism, and said the "explosion of interest" in home-grown produce could be the turning point for "agricultural systems".
He added: "So, with the explosion of interest in local food, in box schemes and online sales, could a transformation of our food and agricultural systems be one of the lasting legacies of this very challenging period in human history?
"As we rethink our world in the wake of the pandemic, it is increasingly clear that the health and wellbeing of people and planet are inextricably linked."
The royal’s comments come after he previously expressed his concerns for the UK cheese industry and for musicians who have had concerts cancelled as a result of the pandemic.
Prince Charles also urged those who have lost their jobs or been furloughed during the pandemic to become fruit pickers in order to help boost the supply chain.
He said in May: "At this time of great uncertainty, many of our normal routines and regular patterns of life are being challenged.
"The food and farming sector is no exception.
"If we are to harvest British fruit and vegetables this year, we need an army of people to help.
"Food does not happen by magic; it all begins with our remarkable farmers and growers.
"If the last few weeks have proved anything, it is that food is precious and valued, and it cannot be taken for granted.
"This is why that great movement of the Second World War – the Land Army – is being rediscovered in the newly-created ‘Pick for Britain’ campaign.
"In the coming months, many thousands of people will be needed to bring in the crops."