Urban farming takes many shapes and forms; It is a shape shifter with high potential in rendering services to communities and cities not just by providing food, they contribute in economic growth, community building and improved health.
According to the USDA, around 15% of the world’s food is now grown in urban areas. City and suburban agriculture takes the form of backyard, roof-top and balcony gardening, community gardening in vacant lots and parks, roadside urban fringe agriculture and livestock grazing in open space.
Here is an artistic info graphic poster developed by Design Trust for Public Space, to promote the diverse applications and advantages of urban agriculture.
Community gardens are slowly becoming urban trends, they strengthen community bonds, provide food, they create recreational and therapeutic opportunities for a community. Urban farming is helping to provide education about how food is grown, teaching children, teens and adults about nutrition and establishing community farmers markets and gardens.
“When vulnerable people attend to their garden they find food security, friendship, purpose, belonging and more,” says Anne Watters, community and family services worker at The Salvation Army.
They help reduce negative environmental impacts by promoting sustainable agriculture; reducing food transportation costs and reducing storm water runoff. They can reduce neighborhood waste through composting, they can replace impervious structures and improve water infiltrations, help improve air and soil quality. Humans, plants and animals can all benefit from urban agriculture as it creates habitats and improves the ecology of the area.
Much better news about Urban farms:
- According to UC-Davis report on the benefits of urban agriculture; “studies correlate urban farms and community gardens to increasing home values and household income. The presence of gardens raised property value as much as 9.4% within five years of establishment”.
- According to Helpguide.org, an online publication, Urban farms don’t experience the same degree of insect or animal infestation, hence less pesticides, fertilizers than conventional and hence more organic.
- Here is an interesting fact from an article published by American Geographical Society: while vacant lots can be magnets for litter and criminal activity, community gardens are observed and managed by the gardeners, resulting in a cleaner space and more active local community. All of this often comes at little or no cost to the city.
- According to a study, besides being a great way to exercise, gardening motivates people to stay active longer than other activities. In one study, participants spent significantly more time gardening (225 minutes/week) than doing other leading forms of exercise, such as walking (160 minutes/week) and biking (170 minutes/week)
Local Schools and Community colleges can also become the hosts of such Community Gardens. Here is a cool video about Skidmore College Community garden and how these students are actively involved in developing and maintaining the garden and also how this garden created educational opportunities to local institutions.
Here is a cool project from New York collaborated by SCAPE and NYRP (New York Restoration Project) a community garden project which was designed, developed and built by engaging with local community. The community garden transformed an empty lot into an urban green space with vegetable plots, refurbished basketball courts, an open picnic area, a playground and two shade structures equipped with rain barrels that into an irrigation system. Find more about the project here.
Urban farming caught your attention? Urban farming not only helps in engaging communities but is a trending opportunity in job creation. Here is more to feed your interests.
Planning on starting or joining a community garden? Need some insights? Find more here.
