Urban farming simply put is the process of cultivating, processing,
distributing and marketing of food crops grown in and around an urban
area. An urban farm can also include the raring of livestock and
fishery. In the complex web of globalization the idea of urban farming
bring in a sense of self sustainability within a community. There can be
different form of urban farming each adding value in its own way.
According to the projection by the UN by the year 2030 two-thirds of the
world population will be living in cities. It is also estimated the by
the year 2020, 85% of the poor in Latin America and about 45% in Asia
and Africa will be living in Cities. These projections not only concern
food insecurity but also the human right implications that tag along
with it. As the percentage of slums in the cities are on the rise, the
quality of life of the average city dweller decreases. Urban farms may
not only bring in new geography for agriculture but the associated
changes that it could bring about in the cities seem highly positive in
terms of employment, food security, reducing carbon footprint of the
food we eat, community building and the associated health benefits .
The significance of Urban farms in combating the various issues
mentioned above has been acknowledged by various private research works
and public bodies like the UN and FAO.
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment