Rooftop Farming

Relevance

”GS 3: Government Policies & Interventions, Agricultural Resources”

Introduction

• Rooftop farming can be a viable option for urban agriculture on account of decreasing agricultural land, especially in Indian cities.
• It can play a significant role in urban environmental management and enhance the continuously deteriorating quality of air while offering organic and fertilizer-free produce.

Background

• Until recently poverty was synonymous with rural conditions, but the rapid urbanization of many developing countries has given birth to a large class of urban poor.
• The worldwide urban population is expected to double in 30 years, but the numbers of urban poor are expected to increase at a greater rate.
• The World Bank has estimated that the 1990s would see an increase from 400 million to one billion urban people living in absolute poverty; UNDP estimated a 76 percent increase in urban poor during the 1990s and a decrease in rural poor during the same period.
• Estimates based on health and environmental conditions suggest about 600 million people in cities live in unhealthy conditions. Hence, as Africa and parts of Asia will become increasingly urban over the next 25 years, urban poverty and food insecurity could worsen if preventive measures are not taken.

Key Benefits

• Green roof systems retain 60-100% of the stormwater they receive.
• In addition, green roofs have a longer lifespan than regular roofs.
• They are protected from ultraviolet radiation and extreme flux in the temperature that causes roof membranes to deteriorate and results in leakage during the rainy season.
• Vegetation maintains the coolness of the roof during the summer as the plants act as an insulation layer and they shade the roof from the scorching heat.

What is Urban Food Agenda?

• The Urban Food Agenda is an FAO flagship initiative to enhance sustainable development, food security and nutrition in urban and peri-urban areas, and nearby rural spaces.
• It consists of a vast range of policies, programmes and initiatives developed and implemented in partnership with different stakeholders: civil society, academia, UN & International agencies, City Networks and relevant public and private bodies and entities.
• At least 55% of the world’s population already lives in urban areas and 80% of all food produced globally is destined for consumption in urban spaces.
• Social, economic and environmental sustainability of food systems and the evolution of urban diets will be largely dependent on the management of food systems in urban and peri-urban areas. Therefore, a greater focus on the Urban Food Agenda is long overdue.
• FAO 2030 Vision for the Urban Food Agenda is an integral part of the Organization’s vision of resilient, integrated, sustainable and inclusive food systems, which ensure that all people in all places are free from hunger and all forms of malnutrition.

A new concept

• Although Rooftop farming is fairly a new concept in India but there is a progressive increase in the number of green roofs and rooftop farms.
• Eco-conscious and organic-friendly urbanites are acknowledging the importance of sustainable living as it is the need of the hour to sustain in the changing ecological conditions.
• As more people are moving and migrating around the urban areas, urban agriculture is starting to be viewed as a sustainable way to produce and efficiently supply locally-grown fresh crops and vegetables to cities.

Way Forward

• The contribution of urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry to the well-being of urban citizens is dependent upon the advantage taken of the opportunities and an awareness of how the risks can be monitored and controlled.
• It is essential to define the cases where UA or UPA has a clear comparative advantage over rural agriculture. The scale of production, the product or service provided, and the alternatives available are factors in determining the relative advantage.
• Broadly stated, a comparative advantage exists when either supply conditions or demand conditions allow UA or UPA to better serve the urban market by supplying something otherwise unavailable or by producing at a lower cost, including environmental cost.
• In places where rural infrastructure is poor, or where farm to market systems are inadequate, both UA and UPA fill critical gaps.
• However, UPA should not be developed in competition with rural agriculture but should concentrate on activities in which it has a comparative advantage, such as the production of fresh, perishable foods. Decentralized rural production zones are also essential to feeding cities.

Conclusion

Rooftop farming can be a viable option for urban agriculture on account of decreasing agricultural land, especially in Indian cities. It can play a significant role in urban environmental management and enhance the continuously deteriorating quality of air while offering organic and fertilizer-free produce.

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