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The Farm in the city

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The Farm in the city

  • Planning for urban agriculture can make cities sustainable, achieve food security

Repercussions of climate change

  • PREMATURE summer: The soaring temperatures adversely affect health, cause a dip in agricultural production, and also dry up rivers.
  • Cities are facing the heat largely on account of ill-conceived urbanization:
    • The urban heat island effect.
  • India is rapidly urbanising and is estimated to host 50 percent of its population in cities by 2050.
  • Our cities already suffer from a number of issues:
    • High population density,
    • Unaffordable housing,
    • Improper waste disposal,
    • Water scarcity most of the year,
    • Flooding during the rains,
    • Pollution and attendant illnesses,
    • Food and nutritional insecurity and
    • Urban poverty, among others.
  • Opportune moment : To engage with urban land-use planning (ULP), especially urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA), as one of the essential elements of sustainable urbanisation.

Role of green infrastructure (GI)

  • Combating pollution
  • Climate mitigation and adaptation
  • Health and recreational benefits.
  • The Centre's 2015 AMRUT programme: included green spaces and parks as a thrust area.

What is left out in urban planning?

  • Agriculture - still seen as a predominantly rural practice.
  • Food and Agricultural Organisation's(FAO): recognises Urban Agriculture as a significant contributor to:
    • Food security
    • Livelihood generation
    • Poverty alleviation
    • Urban resilience and sustainability.
  • Urban areas already house at least 55 per cent of the world's population and consume 80 per cent of the food produced globally.
    • It underlined UPA as key to achieving sustainable food systems.

Prelims Takeaway

  • FAO
  • Green Infrastructure
  • UPA
  • AMRUT
  • Urban Heat Island Effect

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