What is Urban Farming?

Urban farming, or urban agriculture, is an approach to food production that occurs within city limits. Making use of spaces such as vacant lots, rooftops, and balconies, urban farming brings the process of growing food closer to where it will ultimately be consumed. By doing so, it presents a multitude of benefits, ranging from environmental to social, transforming our cities, communities, and the very plates from which we eat.

When compared to traditional farming, urban farming differs in a few ways:

Location: While traditional farming takes place outside of cities in rural areas such as fields, urban farming is carried out in densely populated areas, often using vacant spaces such as rooftops, balconies, or walls.

Space Utilisation: Traditional farming methods rely on large expanses of vertical space, compared to urban farming, which maximises the limited spaces characteristic of cities. For example, cultivating produce vertically, rather than horizontally.

Farming Techniques: Certain types of urban farming make use of an array of modern environmentally friendly techniques such as hydroponics, LED technology, and Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA). Traditional farming methods often utilise methods that use large amounts of water, and can lead to deforestation, and soil degradation.

The History of Urban Farming

Urban farming has evolved alongside humans for thousands of years, with examples being found across many ancient cultures and societies. Some of the earliest records of urban farms show ancient civilizations such as the Mesopotamians, Romans, and Chinese all making use of growing produce like medicinal plants and vegetables in small farming plots within city walls, as well as incorporating gardens into city planning. Fast forward to the 18th and 19th Centuries, and the rapid urbanisation that punctuated the era saw the emergence of family allotments, especially in Europe, where lower-income families could rent plots of land within cities to grow their own food. World War II saw the decline of urban farming popularity in the West due to an increase in industrialised agriculture. The practice then saw a resurgence from the 1970s, where an increase in urban populations coupled with a decline in agricultural land led to greater demand for alternative farming solutions.

These days, examples of cutting edge urban farms can be found in cities all around the world. Places like New York, Paris, and Singapore have pioneered modern urban farming movements, with iconic projects like the Funan Mall Urban Farm Project in Singapore, the Paris Rooftop Farm, and the Brooklyn Grange Farm in New York all great examples of large-scale modern urban farming in action.

Types of Urban Farming

Urban farming practices have evolved to suit the spaces available to people in cities, meaning that this type of agriculture can be carried out in a variety of forms and methods, both indoors and outdoors. Types of urban farms can range from a simple vegetable garden on a residential balcony, to an edible green wall installed in a workplace or hospitality venue.

Some of the most common types of urban farming set-ups can include:

• Vertical Farming (or Indoor Farming)

Growing produce on vertical gardens, using stacked layers of multi-level crop production. This saves on space, and with the use of LED lights and environmental controls, can produce crops year-round.

• Rooftop Gardens

Utilising otherwise unused rooftop spaces in urban settings to grow produce. Benefits include improved air quality, reduction in heat (energy efficiency) and better stormwater management for buildings.

• Urban Community Gardens

A piece of land within a city that is cultivated and shared by a collective or community. Community gardens can be organised in a range of ways, and benefits include access to low-cost fresh produce, and fostering community connections and spirit.

• Urban Beekeeping

Urban farming isn’t just limited to growing fruits and vegetables. Keeping bee colonies in urban settings is on the rise, with rooftops, balconies, and small urban gardens all playing host to these essential pollinators.

Urban Farming Technologies

Modern technologies have helped urban farming continue to evolve to meet the challenges of growing produce in densely populated environments. As technologies improve, urban farmers can rely less on using traditional natural resources such as soil, sunlight, and water.

These urban farming technologies play a crucial role in the success of urban agriculture:

• Hydroponics

Hydroponics is an alternative to traditional soil-based farming, and involves growing produce in nutrient-rich water solutions instead of dirt. These solutions can contain elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Plants grown using this technology typically grow faster, and require less water to grow when compared to traditionally farmed crops.

• Aquaponics

Aquaponics is another soil-less urban farming technology that combines hydroponics with aquaculture technology used to farm fish. By growing both plants and fish in the same facility, aquaponics uses the waste produced by the farmed fish to then fertilise growing plant produce using a recirculating water system.

• LED Technology

LED or ​​Light-Emitting Diodes provide artificial lighting for controlled agriculture systems like  vertical farms and greenhouses. LED lighting comes in a wide range of colours, and works by mimicking sunlight. Lighting strength can be adjusted to emit exactly the correct wavelength for photosynthesis. They can even allow farmers to adjust the look, taste, and nutritional value of the food they are producing. Consistent temperatures, year-round lighting, and low energy consumption make LED lighting an essential part of urban farming technology.

The Future of Urban Farming

Why is urban farming so important? As the environmental pressure on the planet continues to rise, the benefits of turning to alternative farming solutions within our cities will become more and more crucial. While urban farming will never be able to completely replace traditional farming, continuous improvements in technology, and an increase in Government support for urban agriculture initiatives has made this farming method a viable alternative, characterised by resilience, sustainability, and community spirit.