2023-09-29 09:44:04
Between food security, social ties, reconnection with nature, urban agriculture tends to become an essential factor in the ecological transition. It is, according to the definition adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), “Growing plants and raising animals in and around cities to provide fresh food, create jobs, recycle waste and strengthen the resilience of cities to climate change.
How can we all feed ourselves when the population and urban centers are growing and the planet’s reserves are being exhausted? Solutions exist, some are very original, such as growing crops in the city.
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUP) is today in Tunisia because it is becoming a concern of territorial policies and agri-urban strategies in terms of management and sustainability of environments.
Promote biodiversity
Like everywhere in the world, this agricultural technique is present in the form of market gardening and livestock areas in towns and on the outskirts of towns. According to specialists, agricultural spaces can be developed directly on the ground, in residential and community gardens or on the roofs of buildings. Fruits and vegetables are grown outdoors or in greenhouses. Urban agriculture uses different production methods such as cultivation in the ground, hydroponics (plants bathe in a nutrient liquid), indoor (culture indoors, with artificial light), aquaponics (culture in rafts and ponds) or even cultivation in containers.
It aims to recycle organic waste produced in cities while promoting biodiversity. Greenhouses located on roofs help combat heat islands and optimize the thermal comfort of buildings. Urban farms also play an important social role by creating local jobs and forging links between city dwellers and the rural world. They contribute to improving the health of residents through the consumption of sustainable products. Urban agriculture offers many advantages, the main one being short-cycle production. After being harvested, fruits and vegetables are sold in nearby markets or directly to the consumer. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions linked to transport, but also saves the energy required for storage.
Advantages, but…!
According to the FAO, the yield of urban agriculture is potentially 15 times higher than that of rural areas. A growing area of one square meter can produce 20 kg of food per year. However, urban farms do not allow cities to be self-sufficient. In certain cities, where the experiment has already been carried out, the lack of floor space, the slope of the roofs and the lack of access to water limit production capacities.
According to the same source, the main disadvantage of urban agriculture is the potential impact of city pollution on products. Soil pollution can, in fact, be transmitted to plants and harm the health of consumers. It is therefore essential to monitor the quality of the soils and substrates in which the plants grow. Furthermore, air pollution due to fine particles in suspension can pose a problem, which is why high-rise crops are favored.
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