Repurpose vacant lots to produce food, income and reduce blight:
Securing land is usually the first challenge when starting an urban farm project.
In most cases, urban farms are located on land that would otherwise be underutilized,
like: vacant lots, Transportation right-of-way, Little-used sections of parks, or other underdeveloped land.
In this case, the use of vacant lot for urban farming will be explored due to the high concentration of them in the target area.
Models of urban farms:
Urban agriculture can be practiced in many ways and by one individual or a whole community.
The more people participating in a common field the more rules and organization it requires to manage the work and the destination of the produce as well as methods to secure the land.
Individually managed gardens:
These urban gardens could be side yards and residents gardens.
The main purpose of this model is of supply food for the individual or the family of the farmer.
It could be for profit if the farmer decides to sell its produce in the market.
Individuals or families will grow vegetables in their home gardens or by leasing an adjacent vacant lot and make intensive use of the parcel.
Precedent: There are many individuals and families in the Champaign-Urbana area that grow food for consumption in their gardens.
Jointly managed gardens:
When a group of individuals either share a common space for their own urban gardens or work collaboratively and share the produce, these are called jointly managed gardens.
Community gardening:
These are semi-autonomous gardens jointly managed by representatives and a committee of represented citizen-gardeners who are responsible for the management and organization of the garden.
The gardens are divided into small plots for gardeners’ use and they can choose to sell or consume their produce.
The gardening and management rules will be dictated by representatives and a committee of represented citizen-gardeners.
Although all gardens will have the same structure and must apply the same set of rules, there is no link or networking between them.
Community gardens maintain an ambiguous position as both public and private forms.
As part of the open-space system, community gardens serve many public functions yet are distinct from traditional parks because they are maintained by participants and they evolve according to community participation and interest.
They also serve an array of recreational, social, and environmental benefits.
Collaborative:
Under this model a group of people gather to share resources and share the production.
Participants could be linked based on interest and needs, geographical location, or faith.
An association can be independent and responsible for determining its own method of operation and association structure.
The common goal is to fight food insecurity, provide education and foster empowerment.
The collaborative model can be a nonprofit association that can be associated with emergency food banks,
collective kitchens and health services, or could be integrated with an organization that offers a range of
social service.
For service:
These are high-production urban farms focused on empowering people and provide jobs.
These enterprises seek to operate, promote, and demonstrate the use of agriculture as a vehicle for job training, employment, and community development.
They offer training in all aspects of production and distribution of the farming and in the process prepares the people to reenter the workforce.
They often sell their produce to local markets or restaurants, or hold weekly stands for neighbors providing a healthy option in food deserts.
We, human beings, are turning ourselves into an urban species. Within the span of one century, urban populations have expanded from 15 to 50 percent of the total population. It’s no longer the towns and villages, but large cities that are becoming our main habitat; and such a growth pattern is changing the face of our cities. And sadly, much of its impact has been negative, such as wiping out habitats of many species, using up too much natural resource, and generating too much waste.
But here’ the fact that could turn us around: around 15 per cent of the world’s food is now grown in cities, supplying food to about 700 million residents, or about a quarter of the world’s population! Well, across the world, there are an estimated 800 million people who practice such urban agriculture. Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) is defined as the growing of plants and the raising of animals within and around cities, supplying its residents with different kinds of food products – grains, roots, vegetables and mushrooms, and also non-food products like medicinal herbs and ornamental plants. In a wider sense, it also includes some non-food products like trees that are managed for fruit and fuel wood. This is where urban agriculture has an important role in contributing to both the idea and reality of sustainable cities.
On the face of it, urban farming seems to be a difficult proposition because of the lack of space in cities, but that hasn’t stopped people from experimenting with growing fruits and vegetables. At a practical level, since vegetables have a short production cycle of about 60 days, they are extremely well-suited to urban farming. Take into consideration that just one square meter of land can provide about 20 Kg of food a year!
1. In the city of Detroit, Noah Link and Alex Bryan created ‘Peck Produce’ in 2011 by converting an old site of an elementary school into a revitalized farm. Their goal is to establish an alternative to the corporate food system. In the process, local residents have been enjoying the benefits of not just eating the food, but also volunteering on the farm. The citizens can even go to the extent of demanding their choice of veggies.
2. In the United Kingdom, Andrew Merritt and Pauls Smyths set up the first self- proclaimed “urban farming hub” called FARM:shop, which offers small scale farming, workspaces and a café for the residents. Opened in 2011, it is a unique example of an urban farm inside a once-neglected London storefront. The goal here is not to just grow food for the city dwellers, but to prove to other Londoners that it is possible to grow food even without lots of acres of space. The duo is now working on their next project of building a 3,000 square meter roof-top farm.
3. Singapore is a small country that imports all but 7 per cent of its vegetables, but Jack Ng is challenging this. He introduced the concept of hydraulic water-driven vertical farming that reduces the amount of energy and land that traditional farming techniques demand. His products are priced competitively and available in grocery stores around Singapore, and is a workable solution to feeding a growing population.
4. The Distributed Urban Farming Initiative is a program in Texas that has started to transform vacant plots into farms- educating and inspiring as much as producing healthy food. With its urban farms full of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce in raised bed-and-pallet gardens, its goal is to get the farm’s produce on the plates at local restaurants to promote a healthier community. They also conduct field trips that helps connect the local community with the food system.
5. Sharing Backyards is a project that runs across Canada, United States and New Zealand that connects those who want to grow food, but lack the space, with those who have unused space. Those with unused property can post their location, and those looking for space to grow food locally can search locations nearby at no cost. While this programme already has yard-sharing arrangements, anyone is encouraged to start their own local program.