Nelly Bassily | August 15, 2011
Urban farming can take many forms, from a few plant pots in a backyard, to a larger plot of unused land, as in this story. With city populations expanding quickly, urban agriculture has received increased attention in recent years from academics, funders and NGOs.
Further reading:
-Fighting poverty and hunger: What role for urban agriculture? http://www.fao.org/economic/es-policybriefs/briefs-detail/en/?no_cache=1&uid=45052
-DRC: Urban farming takes root http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=93089
You may also find the website of the Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) useful: http://www.ruaf.org/
Find RUAF’s Urban Agriculture magazine here: http://www.ruaf.org/node/101
In French: http://www.ruaf.org/node/825
You can read more about the growing trend of urban agriculture in these past FRW news stories:
-“Uganda: Finding space for urban farming” (FRW 164, July 2011)
-“Uganda: Urban farmers fight eviction” (FRW 72, June 2009)
–“Kenya: Urban agriculture greens metropolis” (FRW 40, October 2008)
–“Africa: Wastewater in urban agriculture is harmful to health, but it also ensures subsistence for urban poor” (FRW 34, August 2008)
–“Africa: Urban agriculture provides relief from high food prices” (FRW 23, June 2008)
-Farm Radio International has also produced a number of scripts on urban agriculture, many of which offer suggestions for growing food in small spaces: http://farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/urban.asp.
Urban gardens present various opportunities for improving income, health and nutrition. If you broadcast to an urban area, you could explore questions like these during a call-in/text-in show:
-What type of space do listeners use to grow food – for example, backyards, vacant land or a terrace/balcony?
-How much food do they produce and what impact does this have on their family’s food security?
-What materials (such as organic fertilizer or planters) do they use to make growing food possible in very small spaces?
-Do listeners have to spend a lot on equipment or inputs – or have they found innovative ways to grow food cheaply (for example by recycling containers or saving seed)?
-Which crops grow best with the limited space and resources they have available?
-What tips or innovations can they share?