A COMMUNITY project which aims to promote food growing in Devon is eager to hear from organisations and individuals who may want to be involved.

If you or your local community have ever wanted to grow your own vegetables, rear your own livestock, or even produce your own cider, this project could be for you.

With weekly shopping bills increasing by more than 6% in the last 12 months, ever-growing numbers of communities are turning to growing their own, and Home Grown, Community Owned (HogCo) aims to get even more groups involved in the coming months.

HogCo sees 'growing your own' as a great way of tackling rising food and transport costs, as well as promoting community cohesion and social inclusion.

The organisation offers advice, training and a forum in which people can share their ideas, skills and assets.

Sophia Elek from HogCo said: 'Ninety-five per cent of fruit and 50 per cent of vegetables in the UK are imported — so I am looking forward to working with groups across rural Devon as they start developing community-led projects that puts skills, resources and local food back into our villages.

'Young, old, skilled or novices, we think people of all backgrounds and abilities have lots to offer — and HogCo is an innovative and resourceful programme to help communities meet the challenges and reap the rewards.'

The project is keen to hear from local individuals and communities who may be interested in taking part in the scheme, and it is envisaged that over the next five years HogCo could expand to more than 70 groups across Devon.

HogCo also wants to hear from local landowners who may be keen for their land to be used as part of the scheme.

The organisation is already working with a prison authority, private trust, private landowners, councils, playing field committees and the National Trust.

Areas of land that are currently under-used or overgrown, perhaps next to village halls, playing fields or schools, would be perfect for the project.

Current HogCo projects include community gardens, composting schemes, livestock and bee keeping, orchard schemes, and allotments.

HogCo is a five-year project funded by the Big Lottery Fund's local food scheme, set up by the Community Council of Devon in 2009 to promote food growing initiatives.

For more information, go to http://www.hogco-devonrcc.org.uk">www.hogco-devonrcc.org.uk or phone 01392 383423.