: How can you make a difference?

Contemporary Issues in Designing and Managing Sustainable Cities Urban Affairs 1171

Urban Agriculture

Urban Agriculture

Havana, Cuba

Havana, Cuba - Organopónicos

Before the collapse of the USSR (1991), 50% of Cuba's food was imported

Over 87,000 acres of urban gardens produced 3.4 million tons of food.

90% of the city's fresh produce come from local urban farms and gardens.

More than 200,000 Cubans worked in the expanding urban agriculture sector

Philadelphia Urban Farming Initiatives

• Community Gardens

• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Community Gardens Over 400 community gardens in Philadelphia

Held on public or private land, land (plots) divided among local residents

Gardeners typically pay a modest fee per season, and volunteer time for the general upkeep

West Philadelphia Community Gardens

Mill Creek Farm, West Philadelphia

Community Supported Agriculture – CSA

CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farming operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production.

Community Supported Agriculture – CSA

Advantages for farmers: • Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin • Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow • more profits direct to farmer

Advantages for consumers: • Eat fresh food • Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking • Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season • Find that kids typically favor food from "their" farm • Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown

Greensgrow Farm http://www.cityfarmer.info/2008/12/01/cbs-reports-on-the-urban-farm- movement/

Urban Tree Connection h"p://www.youtube.com/user/UrbanTreeConnec7on

Roo:op Agriculture

Tokyo

Chicago

England

Roof Top Agriculture

Brooklyn Grange Brooklyn, NY

World’s largest roo:op soil farms, located on two roofs in New York City, and grow over 50,000 lbs of organically-cul7vated produce per year

Four Season's Hotel Philadelphia

Vertical Farming

Hydroponics Vegetables grown in a solution of water and fertilizer

Fertilizer can be either organic (made from compost) or synthetic

High Density Ver.cal Growth (HDVG)

Singapore - ½ ton of fresh vegetables per day, sold in local supermarkets

h"p://skygreens.appsfly.com/

"Aeroponics"

h"p://www.greenprophet.com/2010/05/aerofarms-ver7cal-farming/

Vertical Farming

Chicago O'Hare Airport

h"p://www.futuregrowing.com/

Swiss chard Genovese basil Sweet basil Purple basil Cilantro Dill Parsley Chives Bibb le"uce Gourmet le"uce mix Red le"uce Habanero peppers Edible viola flowers Edible nastur7um flowers Thyme Oregano Spearmint Green beans Snap beans

Aquaponics System that combines both vegetable production and fish

h"p://diyaquaponicsguide.com/

h"p://aquaponichowto.com/australia-aquaponics-aquaponic-farming-is-the-straighYorward-way/#.U01yriiEO1k

h"p://www.yankodesign.com/2009/03/17/the-ul7mate-recycle-bin-nourishes-as-well/

h"p://aquaponichowto.com/australia-aquaponics-aquaponic-farming-is-the-straighYorward-way/#.U01yriiEO1k

Guerilla Gardening

Seed Bombs