With the United Nations’ prediction of urban 2areas growing to house 60% of the world’s population and being responsible for 81% of global energy consumption, it is now a priority to look for ways to achieve sustainable goals for urban living.
The United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals include a section dedicated to achieving food security and promoting sustainable solutions to farming within city living.
Urban areas face a global population boom that will inevitably strain the environment. Much of the earth’s fresh water is trapped in ice or underground, meaning the availability of the earth’s tiny 3% fresh water supply will struggle to keep up with increasing demand.
Air quality in densely populated areas is also a challenge that leads to health problems and large amounts of wasted production and disposal. Urban farming is a solution to pushing critical sustainability forward, whereby urban areas become more accustomed and reliant on local fresh produce.
Urban farming to transform city life
Growth in urban farming will allow cities and metropolitan areas to become more self-sufficient. Local populations will benefit from fresh-grown produce, enabling them to access a more nutritious diet. The more food is grown or produced locally, the better it is for the environment and the health of local people.
Reducing the number of vehicles entering the area will reduce the harm from carbon and gas emissions. In addition, it will give better air quality as residents seek to source most of their fresh produce from within their homes, gardens, or the local community. The government’s attempts at creating clean air zones will help, and this, combined with urban farming, will transform life for those living in more densely populated areas.
Urban farming reduces the environmental impact of food production as it uses less land to achieve greater yields. Urban and home farmers frequently use fewer pesticides, water and fertilisers, preferring to give biodiversity more room. Organic and regenerative agricultural methods can thrive alongside rewilding and forestry projects.
Urban food production improves the local economy and can provide jobs and food security that may become critical. It could revive many areas in the future. Responsible production and consumption are better for the environment and health as the reliance on imports is reduced. Plus, the support for locally grown produce improves, whether sharing with neighbours, buying from or producing for local markets to build better, more resilient communities.
Urban farming aims to reuse water, often meaning 95% less water consumption than traditional farming through repeated water use and reduces much of the packaging waste created by transporting the produce.
Using new farming hydrogel platforms such as Gelponics as a sustainable growth substrate for plants to accelerate cultivation and provide a sustainable low-carbon product perfect for urban farming. The reduced complexity, cost and 100% natural biodegradable materials perfectly support urban agriculture’s needs, whether in a home garden or more commercial nature.
Gelponics hydrogel formulations for genuinely sustainable agriculture
Urban farming offers a cost-effective, damage-limitation solution for the environment. Hydrogel formulations offer year-round crop production and increased growing times as the reliance on fresh rainwater and sun is reduced to give a steady productivity rate and reduced plant loss.
Urban farming can consist of rooftop farming, one of the top trends in urban agriculture, and hydroponic and aquaponic systems offer the best use of the often limited space available for urban agriculture and open opportunities to a more significant number of people. Urban farmers are increasingly repurposing shipping containers and vertical farming techniques to maximise sustainability and reduce the impact of urban areas on the environment.