The growing need for food has led most countries to try growing their own food. Singapore is one of the few developed countries that import more than 90 percent of its food from other countries. Given the circumstances, it focuses on implementing several schemes and long-term plans to achieve 30 percent food sustainability by 2030. One of the plans is to promote urban farming.
Urban farming is growing food in urban areas. It is one of the effective ways to attain food sustainability, which also calls for bringing awareness among urban people about the importance of growing food, avoiding food wastage, and reusing and recycling food. Companies and financial institutions like DBS contribute to urban farming by growing food on the office terrace and other office building spaces.
The government in Singapore offers grants to employ experts and technology to cultivate more food using the space available in metropolitan cities.
Know the benefits of urban farming
The government aims to execute the urban farming system in cities. Singapore is utilizing only one percent of its farmland for traditional farming. Now the country is targeting land availability for food production by implementing the latest technology and innovation through an urban farming system. Through this system, commercial buildings are leased to grow food to boost farming potential. It includes leasing large areas like car parks, rooftops of large commercial buildings, and other outdoor spaces in cities.
With food shortage increasing day-to-day, the need for producing food has become essential. This led to the utilization of urban space to produce essential food, like vegetables, eggs, and fish, which are commonly consumed and have high demand. On the other hand, they are highly perishable. For all these reasons, the production of such food items in urban areas is necessary.
The technology used in urban farming is multi-story LED vegetable farms and aquaculture systems. The advanced technology implemented in the urban farming system is 10 to 15 times more productive than the traditional farming system.
By bringing farming techniques to cities, you can overcome the food shortages. Some of the benefits of implementing urban farming are:
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Increased food production and food security
Urban farming techniques can increase food production manifold so that you can grow sufficient food to meet the food requirements of the entire population. Many families cannot afford to have enough food in urban areas. They can now grow food to gain food security.
Food security means having access to food, safe and sufficient for you and your family. Numerous families face this issue and it can be solved by implementing urban farming. Urban people can grow their food in unused spaces and gain food sustainability.
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Growing communities
Urban farming helps the people in urban areas maintain harmony by working together and growing food. Friends, family members, colleagues, and staff work together without any hierarchy. Urban Farming develops a sense of togetherness in the community and enhances the greenery in the city.
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Use the unused space efficiently
The urbanization and increase in population resulted in massive destruction of fertile land. Urban farming is the best solution to use the available space efficiently. It will help feed people who need food sufficiently. The roof gardens can help you produce tons of fresh vegetables. You can grow food using vertical gardens and even indoors.
Unlike the traditional farming system, urban farming helps eliminate the loss of money due to rain, heat, and pest and grow a significant amount of food. With all these positive results, it makes sense to go for urban farming at a global level.
