urban agriculture.pdf

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Aquaponics allows more food to be grown in less space, uses

less water, produces less pollution and can be done virtuallyanywhere. Urban farming can also be soil based either in theground or in raised beds and can revitalize vacant lots.


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Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is indoor farming

which can repurpose vacant buildings or be added to activebuildings as rooftop greenhouses. The size of farms in the citycan vary greatly from home gardens to community gardens to

commercial operations.


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Why Urban Agriculture?

By 2050, 70% of worlds population could live in cities, and we willneed to grow about 70% more food than we do today. Urbanagriculture provides local healthier food choices, creates jobs and

allows us to grow the food where the people are.

http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdf
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdfhttp://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdfhttp://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdfhttp://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/35571/


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Benefits of Urban Agriculture

There are many benefits to UrbanAgriculture including social, economicand ecological advantages. UrbanAgriculture helps to create sustainabilityin cities. It also reconnects individuals totheir food, creates jobs, and mitigates

negative effects of urbanization on theenvironment.


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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture

Environmental benefits of Urban Agriculture includereducing the heat island effect, reducing storm runoff and

water pollution, conserving water through rainwatercatchment and energy conservation.


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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture: Heat Island

According to the EPA, The term "heat island"

describes built up areas that are hotter than nearbyrural areasHeat islands can affect communities by

increasing summertime peak energy demand, air

conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gasemissions, heat-related illness and mortality, and

water quality.

Urban agriculture can help to reduce the heat islandeffect. Rooftop gardens and urban farms reduceheat absorption by pavement, rooftops and other

impermeable surfaces which is a main cause of theincreased temperature in urban areas.

http://www.epa.gov/hiri/

Thermal (top) and vegetation (bottom) locationsaround New York City via infrared satelliteimagery. A comparison of the images shows thatwhere vegetation is dense, temperatures are

cooler.
http://www.epa.gov/hiri/http://www.epa.gov/hiri/


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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture: Storm Runoff

Through the use of rooftop gardens and farms, rain barrels, rain gardens andconversion of vacant lots, urban agriculture can help to prevent the problemscaused by excess storm water runoff.

According to a fact sheet by the EPA, The most recent National Water QualityInventory reports that runoff from urbanized areas is the leading source ofwater quality impairments to surveyed estuaries and the third-largest sourceof impairments to surveyed lakes.Runoff also leads to stream bank erosion,flooding, health concerns and degradation of aquatic habitats.

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/urban_facts.cfm
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/urban_facts.cfmhttp://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/urban_facts.cfm


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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture: Rooftop Farms

Rooftop farms increase the energy efficiency of both the

building below and the farm above. Rooftop farms andgardens help to reduce the heat island effect, reduce runoffwater and provide an outlet for collected rainwater whichfurther reduces runoff and pollution. Rooftop farms can belarge or small, outdoors or in a greenhouse, and soil orwater based.


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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture: Green Roofs

Green roofs are used for stormwater management and energy savings, as well asfor aesthetic benefits. Green roofs absorb stormwater and release it back into theatmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration, while reducing urbantemperatures by limiting the amount of heat retaining structures. The vegetation onthe roofs also absorb a great deal of the pollutants in the water before it is released

into the atmosphere. http://savetherain.us/green-programs/green-infrastructure/green-roofs/

The green roof project at the MonroeBuilding converted approximately5,200 square feet of roof top surfaceto a vegetative roof system comprisedof a sedum and chive mixture. Thisroof is expected to capture at leastone inch of precipitation in a given

storm or sequence of storms,preventing it from entering the sewer.

http://savetherain.us/str_project/project-monroe-building/
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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture: Rainwater Harvesting

A rain barrel is a water tank used to collect and store rain

water, typically from rooftops via rain gutters. The use of a rainbarrel reduces the amount of stormwater from roofs that runsoff of lawns and into sewer systems. Because combined sewersin Syracuse can overflow during wet weather, the use of rainbarrels can help reduce the amount of pollutants going intoOnondaga Lake and its tributaries. The water collected in a rainbarrel can be used for watering lawns and gardens, washing

cars, agriculture, or for the other multitude of needs for waterin the home. Rain barrels help to conserve water which savemoney and natural resources.http://savetherain.us/green-programs/green-infrastructure/rain-barrels/

http://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/STR_RainBarrel.jpg
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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture: Rain Gardens

A rain garden is a sunken garden designed to absorb rainwater from imperviousareas such as roofs, driveways, walkways, and compacted lawn areas. Raingardens reduce runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground, asopposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters, which can cause

erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater. http://savetherain.us/green-programs/green-infrastructure/rain-gardens/

Onondaga Earth Corps posing after completing a rain garden demonstration project

http://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/OEC-at-515-Tully-rain-garden.jpghttp://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/STR_RainGarden.jpg
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Environmental Benefits of UrbanAgriculture: Converting Vacant Lots

Vacant lots, besides being a non-point source of water pollutioncaused by potentially toxic dumping and remnant materials fromdemolished buildings, they often have poor quality soils with littledrainage capacity which leads to excess runoff. (Kniznhik, 2012)http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=mes_capstones

The Vacant Lot Oswego Street Projectwas the first vacant lot completed in theSave the Rain campaign. The vision of theVacant Lot program is to convert City-owned empty lot properties into useable

spaces for public benefit. This vision alsoprovides the opportunity for stormwatermanagement and capture at vacant lotsites.

http://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vacant_Lot_701_Oswego.jpg
http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=mes_capstoneshttp://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vacant_Lot_701_Oswego.jpghttp://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vacant_Lot_701_Oswego.jpghttp://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vacant_Lot_701_Oswego.jpghttp://savetherain.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vacant_Lot_701_Oswego.jpghttp://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=mes_capstones


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Economic Benefits of UrbanAgriculture

Urban Agriculture has economic benefits for everyone from the home gardener orurban farmer to the city government. Home and community gardens can reduce theamount of money spent on food. Supporting local urban farms supports the localeconomy, stimulating spending and potentially creating jobs. Urban farms, likecontrolled environment agriculture greenhouses, can provide year round

employment. Urban Agriculture lowers the cost of dealing with environmentalimpacts of urbanization, like runoff and heat island effects. Converting vacant lotscan also help prevent a decrease in property values and loss of tax revenue. Forexample, Philadelphia has 40,000 vacant lots that lead to a lossin property value

estimated at $3.6 billion(Econsult Corporation, 2010). http://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdf
http://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdfhttp://penniur.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/vacant-land-executive-summary.original.pdf


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Education and Urban Agriculture

Schools use soil-based gardens,hydroponics and aquaponics in theirschools to illustrate various scientific

principles and create experiential hands-on learning experiences for the kids. Thisteaches the children about where theirfood comes from and helps them to make

healthier and more environmentallyfriendly choices.


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Kids get to work at gardens/farms and raise food, learning

valuable and employable skills while remaining engaged,active and productive. They can learn about giving back toand helping improve their community.


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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet Elementary School and the Helping

Hands Urban Farm Garden teaches children and young adults about UrbanAgriculture. They learn about the local food system and problems causedby food deserts. The program aims to create the next generation of greenambassadors, preparing youth to make informed and healthy decisions

about food and sustainability.


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Sustainability and Urban Agriculture

Sustainability incorporates social, economic and ecological

responsibility. Many cities have sustainability plans that will help developUrban Agriculture. Planning for the future needs to include planning forfood production within cities. Local decentralized farms and gardens canprovide fresh food to urban neighborhoods and help with the problemscaused by food deserts.

Life

Sustainable

Social

EconomicEcologic

Sustainability requires a holistic perspective

Three Pillars of Sustainability


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Part of Syracuses sustainability

plan is to increase UrbanAgriculture in the city byreforming zoning laws to make it

easier for urban farmers and byhelping people get access to landfor community gardens and

urban farms. There are alsoplans to improve local foodsystems to help eliminate food

deserts in the city.http://www.syracuse.ny.us/sustainabilityplan.aspx

Wh C ll d E
http://www.syracuse.ny.us/sustainabilityplan.aspxhttp://www.syracuse.ny.us/sustainabilityplan.aspx


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CEA is indoor farming which can repurpose vacant buildings

or be added to active buildings as rooftop greenhouses. CEAuses technology and engineering to increase productivity andreduce environmental impact while allowing for year round

farming. It is primarily done using soilless cultivation.

What is Controlled EnvironmentAgriculture (CEA)?

Rendering by: Detroit Collaborative Design Center,

University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture

Developed for: RecoveryPark


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Agriculture (CEA)

CEA provides a stable, consistent growing environment. Itreduces the amount of water and fertilizer needed to grow

high quality, fresh, local produce. More food can beproduced per acre year round. CEA is an ideal way to growfood in the city because it can be done on otherwise

unusable land such as brownfields or rooftops.


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Vertical FarmingVertical farming is a concept developed by Dr. Dickson

Despommier, of the Department of Environmental HealthScience of Columbia University and the originator of themodern concept of vertical farming. The idea is that where

there is little horizontal space, or flat land, farmers should goup and use the vertical space.

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farming
http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farminghttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/aquaculture-and-soilless-farming


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Water Based Urban Agriculture

Water based agriculture includes hydroponics, aquaculture, andaquaponics. Hydroponics is growing plants without soil. Aquaponics

combines hydroponics with aquaculture, or farming of any aquaticanimal. Almost any type of hydroponic growing system can beconverted to aquaponics just by adding an aquaculture system

which replaces the hydroponic fertilizer.


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Soil Based Urban Agriculture

Simple structures covered with plastic can help protect theplants and improve the growing conditions. They can shield the

plants from strong winds and rain, or they can increase thelength of the growing season by allowing you to plant earlier inthe spring or harvest later in the fall.


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Many schools, churches, parks, hospitals and otherbusinesses have unused space that could potentially beturned into a community garden or urban farm. Some citieshave programs to help residents gain access to availableland for community gardens and Urban Agriculture.


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Raised beds are an excellent way togarden. They can be very good forgrowing lots of food and they make iteasier to garden too. Raised beds

allow you to turn a parking lot, vacantlot or other space without good soilinto a thriving food garden. In cities

this is the best and safest way togrow food in soil, and you can usecompost as fertilizer to enrich the

soil.


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Home gardens may be the most important form of Urban

Agriculture. In some cities, three times more space is utilizedby home food gardens than all the community gardenscombined. Growing your own food lets you supplement your

regular diet with healthy and nutritious fresh vegetables.


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What can you do?

There are many ways to get involved with Urban Agriculture,from starting your own home garden to starting a commercial

urban farm. Volunteering with a local community garden orstarting a new one is a great way to build community andincrease the availability of fresh produce in neighborhoodsthat might not have access to healthy and affordable food.


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Grow your own vegetables or fruits.Plant a garden. Even a small gardencan have big benefits. Home

gardens are a great way to increasethe fresh produce in your familysdiet and save money in the process.Become active with a local

community garden. If you cant finda community garden in yourneighborhood, start one!


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Aquaponics is a great way to farm at home. It can be awonderful family or community project. Interest in aquaponics

is increasing rapidly, so access to information and materials iseasier than ever. There are many online communities that shareknowledge and ideas too. Indoor systems at home are a greatway to keep farming through the winter and dont take up much

space either.


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The best way to get fresh produce is to grow it. The next bestway is shopping at a local farmers market or through a

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription. Buyinga share or subscription in a CSA supports a local farm,providing you with fresh produce every week and can save

money.


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Volunteer for community groups working with youth and

adults to produce locally grown food. Become active andinvolved in your local schools and government to encouragehealthier food options and develop Urban Agriculture.


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Additional Resourceshttp://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/urbanag/pdf/bf_urban_ag.pdf

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/onward/item/54425

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculture

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculture

http://nebeginningfarmers.org/publications/urban-farming/

http://www.fiveboroughfarm.org/

http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/

http //www cornellcea com/
http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/urbanag/pdf/bf_urban_ag.pdfhttp://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/onward/item/54425http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://nebeginningfarmers.org/publications/urban-farming/http://www.fiveboroughfarm.org/http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/http://www.cornellcea.com/http://www.cornellcea.com/http://www.cornellcea.com/http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/http://www.fiveboroughfarm.org/http://www.fiveboroughfarm.org/http://nebeginningfarmers.org/publications/urban-farming/http://nebeginningfarmers.org/publications/urban-farming/http://nebeginningfarmers.org/publications/urban-farming/http://nebeginningfarmers.org/publications/urban-farming/http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://afsic.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-community/urban-agriculturehttp://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/onward/item/54425http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/onward/item/54425http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/onward/item/54425http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/onward/item/54425http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/onward/item/54425http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/urbanag/pdf/bf_urban_ag.pdfhttp://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/urbanag/pdf/bf_urban_ag.pdfhttp://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/urbanag/pdf/bf_urban_ag.pdfhttp://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/urbanag/pdf/bf_urban_ag.pdf

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