Urban agriculture is the practice of growing plants and producing food in urban areas. For example, growing plants in courtyards, rooftops, balconies, and terraces of city buildings. Urban agriculture emerged as a response to increasing urbanization, which caused cities to rely heavily on food from rural areas and reduced space for agriculture.

Urban agriculture has many benefits, including access to fresh and healthy food. This allows people living in cities to improve their diet and reduce their dependence on processed foods transported over long distances. Another benefit of urban agriculture is that it reduces carbon emissions associated with food transportation. It also plays an important role in environmental education and awareness of food production and encourages community interaction and the creation of green spaces in urban environments, which contribute to people's overall well-being.

Urban agriculture techniques

Microgardens

Huertos urbanos en las azoteas de Madrid: Madrid. Ecólatras. (n.d.). https://www.ecolatras.es/detalle/huertos-urbanos-en-las-azoteas-de-madrid 

This consists of growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs in small spaces such as rooftops, balconies, terraces, or courtyards of buildings. Despite being located in small spaces, microgardens can be very productive. For example, 30 kg of tomatoes can be produced annually in an area of one square meter. In addition to providing some food, micro-gardens also serve as a home for insects and birds and help capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, creating healthier environments for people.

I particularly love this urban farming technique, as it allows us to grow plants and produce our own food in our homes. It also helps us learn more about growing plants and farming. For example, the proper irrigation system that we should use in this type of planting.

I practice urban agriculture at home, as I have a microgarden on my rooftop. There I grow peppers, tomatoes, chamomile, golden berries, and pumpkins. This practice has brought me many benefits, not only in my diet and my family's diet but also in my emotional state, since the whole process of cultivation, from planting the seeds to harvesting the food, has brought me great satisfaction and joy.

My golden berry

My peppers

My peppers

My peppers

Vertical farming

Federman, S., & Zankowski, P. (2018, August 14). Vertical farming for the future. USDA. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2018/08/14/vertical-farming-future

This technique can be used by people who do not have rooftops, balconies, or terraces, as it is designed to be done indoors. Vertical farming consists of growing on different levels; this can be done almost anywhere (buildings, offices, subway tunnels, sea containers, and even in space). In this technique, plants are grown in water instead of soil; this allows the plants to receive nutrients in exact amounts and not be affected by pests or weeds associated with soil. Water-based systems such as those used in vertical farming are called hydroponic and are very efficient at saving water. For example, lettuce grown in hydroponic systems consumes 13 times less water than lettuce grown in soil and produces 11 times more food. However, recreating appropriate environmental conditions for these crops is really expensive and consumes too much energy.

Urban agriculture is becoming more popular due to increasing urbanization and the need for a better diet. Now all of us who have a rooftop, balcony, or terrace can have micro-gardens, produce our own food, and contribute to our food security.