A rising world population is putting increased pressure on our planet. With more people, come ever expanding needs that far outweigh what the world can provide with limited resources. This issue is already evident in the fact that roughly one in eight people on this earth don’t have enough to eat.
World hunger is a serious problem, and not just in rural communities. Urban populations are also affected, and this issue is only expected to grow as the number of city dwellers continues to increase. To facilitate rapid urbanization and ensure urban food security, cities are turning to urban agriculture. This sustainable form of city farming is not only more efficient but also eco-friendlier.
The Issue of Urban Hunger
For many years, the primary focus of food security programs has been rural populations. However, it’s not just those in provincial areas that are affected by hunger. In fact, as many as 20% of those living in cities who are malnourished are affected by famine. Malnutrition and food insecurity affects more than just people on an individual level. It also severely impacts a city’s potential for economic growth and development.
The problem is that we can’t just rely on traditional farming practices to provide enough food for a growing urban population. Much of the land used to grow the world’s food supply is becoming unusable. Furthermore, there is only a limited amount of land which people can convert for agricultural purposes. Currently, more than 80% of suitable land for growing crops is already in use. With limited resources and an ever growing population, people are turning to urban agriculture.
What is Urban Agriculture?
The practice of urban agriculture refers to growing crops and raising animals in or around a city. It has strong linkages with the urban ecological and economic systems. It deeply integrates on several levels, from consumption to employment and the use of local resources. Of course, it can be used to produce more than food products; it can also be used to provide residents with non-food products such as medicinal herbs and ornamental plants.
One popular type of urban agriculture is vertical farming. It is by no means a new idea, but with limited resources available, it is becoming an increasingly appealing option. A vertical farm refers to a building that grows food inside of it, and which is taller than a single story. It grew from the initial idea of rooftop farming to more of a high-rise concept. While the original design was expensive to implement, some countries have managed to find modern solutions.
One such farm already exists in Singapore; a four-story building which resembles a greenhouse from the outside. The farm is low-carbon and hydraulic driven, using a water-pulley system that rotates to allow for even distribution of sunlight. It uses rainwater through a flooding system, which helps to eliminate water and electricity wastage.
Another such farm exists in the Netherlands and has cultivated a wide variety of crops; from corn to beans, strawberries, and ornamental shrubs. They use a slightly different approach to the farm in Singapore, as they don’t use sunlight, but rather LED lights. It uses up only a fraction of the amount of water required in greenhouses or fields, which addresses the water sustainability issue. What’s best, is that plants grow faster in LED lights compared to natural sunlight, which enables them to produce food more quickly.
The other added advantage is that urban farms are local. By cutting the distance that food must travel to reach consumers, it means that food can hit the shelves in a matter of hours, compared to the days or weeks it typically takes to import the required amount of food. Cutting down on traveling costs doesn’t just reduce the amount of time it takes for consumers to get the food; it also cuts down on transportation costs and energy.
These systems demonstrate that vertical farming not only offers an alternative to traditional agriculture, but it can even produce better, greener results. Residents can grow fresh and healthy foods, without having to worry about the damaging effects this type of farming will have on the planet. It not only addresses the issue of hunger but also helps some of the city’s poorest residents by offering increased job opportunities through production, as well as marketing.