Urban Agriculture

URBAN AGRICULTURE

by Anton Antonio

June 11, 2015

Urban agriculture is the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around an urbanized area such as a village, town, or city.  These activities also occur in peri-urban (meaning:  are landscape interface or transition zones between the suburbs and the countryside or immediately adjourning an urban area) areas as well.  Within a highly urbanized setting, urban agriculture could be a better alternative to “green roofs” with the planting of vegetables instead of ornamental plants… also called “edible landscaping”.  Among the production technologies related to urban agriculture, aside from “edible landscaping” (the use of plants in the residential landscape for both aesthetic and food production purposes), are “green riprapping” (the interfacing of edible vine-type plants on a loose assemblage of broken stones erected in water or on soft ground as a foundation), “aquaponics” (a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture with hydroponics in a symbiotic environment), and “container gardening” (the practice of growing plants exclusively in containers instead of planting them in the ground).

The most common technology used in the practice of urban agriculture is “container gardening” because of its convenience, simplicity and low maintenance costs.  “Green riprapping” and “aquaponics”, on the other hand, may not apply to most urban dwellings and quite expensive to set up.

Urban agriculture has many benefits.  To name a few: (1) improves biodiversity and a mitigating measure to climate change; (2) supports the government’s clean and green program; (3) boosts the food security program; (4) improves health and nutrition with the use of organic agriculture principles; (5) supports recycling programs with the use of plastic containers; (6) provides fresh air and exercise for family members; and, (7) affords additional income and savings in the family budget.

“Edible landscaping/container gardening on green roofs” seemingly is the best form of urban agriculture and the ideal technology application in the Philippine setting.  My colleague in environment and natural resources management, Jabez Joshua Flores, who teaches and advocates “organic agriculture”, would not stop and be satisfied with the simple application of “edible landscaping” and “container gardening”.  Jabez will always choose to go the “organic way” because of its added health value.  My simple prescription, however, is converting all open spaces to any form of “green activity” in an urban setting.  These could definitely reduce the carbon footprint of an urban area.  This, aside from the provision of food (and other benefits mentioned above), is perhaps the most important function of urban agriculture.

Just my little thoughts…

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