It is well recognized that of the myriads of means to contribute to economic growth, the development of agricultural practice though carried out on small plots of land is increasingly becoming a crucial move. It is called urban agriculture, urban farming or urban gardening. This activity is really a practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas following the production of fruits, vegetables and other related supplementary harvest.
Cognizant of the fact that this invaluable march, urban gardening, needs to be explained by professional utterances, The Ethiopian Herald approached Mekonnen Birru, an agro-economist graduated from Haramaya University and working for a private agri-consultant.
He said, “Urban agriculture can involve animal husbandry, aquaculture, agro-forestry, apiculture or urban beekeeping and horticulture. These activities occur in semi-urban areas as well. Urban farming is part of the urban agriculture and can be a beneficial impact on the lives of social-economic and environmental sustainability of the city so that it becomes an integral part of sustainable development.”
He said that urban gardening is where people practice cultivation, mainly of food, in and around urban areas, towns and cities. Basically, it is the traditional cultivation of crops, but in urban centers.
According to Mekonnen, with urbanization and the desire for the majority of people to do their farming right where they are, urban gardening is considerably being taken up and has been a successful alternative – a shift from the traditional thinking that the cultivation of crops can only be done in rural areas.
As to him, urban agriculture is significantly useful in bolstering food security and economic growth as it has been contributing a lot to increased household income. Farming households have shown higher incomes than non-farming households with similar socioeconomic characteristics. Increased income is through savings on food purchases and selling of produce.
Responding to the question revolving around the role of urban gardening in relation to ‘Yelemat Trufat,’ Mekonnen stated that urban agriculture is a means to produce fruits, vegetables and other related yields on own land, helps to get variety as space-effective as possible thereby helping citizens ensure food self-sufficiency and the nation back the effort towards guarantee food security.
It has also helped the government foster state of stabilizing the high cost of living and support citizens to secure balanced diet though the scope has been limited.
Cities and towns in the country have shown progress in terms of utilizing the urban gardening although the number of individuals employing such a remarkable means quite minimal. As to him, the very point here is exercising urban gardening should not be a one stop action instead it has to be carried out in a sustainable manner and needs to be a culture among the society.
No doubt, cities and towns have become hubs for economic activity, productivity, and important platforms for achieving sustainable development and other parts of the nation can draw important lessons from them. The potential of urban agriculture in improving urban local economies and urban micro-climate is of paramount importance in supporting the effort geared towards ensuring food security at national level, indeed! Hence, it needs to be well acknowledged and expanded in all parts of the nation.
Mekonnen further elucidated that the government, be they are state ones or the federal body, investors, companies working on the area, the farming community as well as individuals in local areas by efficiently utilizing spaces in urban areas can grow crops and other fresh farms produce as well as rear livestock or poultry and fish to help provide adequate food and more local employment opportunities in urban localities.
According to Mekonnen, hunger and poverty are common plagues that have bothered most urban dwellers over the years. Lack of adequate infrastructure and the lack of proper employment opportunities for the rapidly growing urban population in urban settings have contributed to the soaring of high cost of living and poverty.
“Furthermore, the cultivation of crops and planting of trees in urban settings can keep the ground moist and fertile to avoid droughts. It also helps reduce the impact of floods and landslides on communities by slowing down the movement of water and mudflows. Urban agriculture is crucial in creating true communities by developing a sense of belongingness and connectedness to each other. It has also shown the potential to create employment, development of micro-enterprises, increase income and reduce poverty,” he opined.
Owing to the viable advantages ranging from an increase in employment opportunities, alternative means of income, reduction of urban hunger and poverty to provision of fresh and healthy farm produce for urban dwellers, the gardening is highly becoming a means for boosting commercial activities in urban settings as well as the creation of a very engaging and socially inclusive harmonious populace.
As to Mekonnen, urban farming system can be an alternative to improve the balance of the urban environment and socio-economic of urban dwellers. The use of fertilizers and organic waste treatment is also crucial, indeed!
The economic potential is achievable because urban farming can be developed, both outdoor and indoor as per environmental conditions, available technologies and types of crops as well as appropriate urban areas. The economic role of urban farming in the future will be more strategic because it can provide urban communities with a multitude of benefits.
He said urban gardening can also provide people in urban areas with ecological and economic advantages as it is economically contributing to the production of foodstuffs.
He said, “In many places, urban farming has been recognized for its contribution to short food supply chains, urban food security and livelihoods, and recreational value, too. Despite the limited space available in urban areas, urban farming can provide important shares of easily perishable commodities, like leafy vegetables, which are grown in close proximity to urban markets.”
Urban agriculture is not a magical solution, but it can contribute to building urban resilience and ensuring food security and its development and implementation strategy and action plan has to be framed in a bid to maximize the production of fresh and nutritious food and should be supported by the urban authorities and influential experts working on the area, he underscored.
Capacity building in urban agriculture for interested households, extension workers and public sector workers is important, including technical capacity in the safe recovery of yield and utilization of compost from organic urban wastes.
Yes Mekonnen said, urban gardening involving simple food crops such as vegetables and fruits can help reduce the dependence on vegetable and fruit produce from farms or imported from other countries, thus it is increasing available food for families and urban dwellers.
“Urban gardening also gives urban dwellers access to readily available foods rich in nutrients, supplementing other food products. As a result, jobs are created, food costs go down, and people consume more quality foods. A healthy community also translates to vibrant and hardworking people who can work towards building the economy,” he added.
Mekonnen said, “Urban gardening allows individuals to interact socially, contributing to society’s social and emotional well-being. It creates a sense of community participation for both the community and individuals and families, making community events more possible and easier to work on.”
As it involves matters of the environment, urban gardening bolsters environmental awareness through aspects such as protecting soil fertility via protecting urban ecological biodiversity, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling and so on.
It increases the land area utilized for agriculture, increasing food security as the world population soars and arable land constantly faces depletion. Besides, urban agriculture involving simple food crops such as vegetables and fruits can help reduce the dependence on vegetable and fruit produce from farms or imported from other countries, thus increasing available food for families and urban dwellers.
Mekonnen further underlined that urban agriculture also gives urban dwellers access to readily available foods rich in nutrients, supplementing other food products. The move also reduces carbon footprints by reducing carbon emissions while transporting food, vegetables, and fruits from their production area to their consumption spot.
BY MENGESHA AMARE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2024
