Potential of Urban Agriculture to Improve Nutrition and Environment.

The potential to improve nutrition and environment in urban settings by incorporating organically-based agricultural practices within the city limits of major metropolitan areas will be demonstrated.  Sprawling urban farms cover acres of rooftops across Germany and in Toronto, Canada.  Cities in Africa are seeing sustainable farm projects moving into the urban fabric.  In Asia urban agriculture is considered the only viable mechanisms for long-term food security.  Urban farming has recently gained tremendous popularity in the USA.  We intend to cover recent urban agriculture “success stories” from the heartland of America.

Of the nearly 150,000 acres within Chicago city limits, 6,000 are vacant land.  Under the heading, “Feeding the City”, researchers at the University of Chicago analyzed the cities potential to address its populations food needs from within its own borders. The team was curious to learn what other potential advantages could be gained in this change of land-use scenario. Their review – based on an urban environmental setting – of the National Organic Standards resulting in the publication, “Organic Certification and Integrity: Challenges Specific to Urban Agriculture A Reference Guide for Producers and Inspectors”.

Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture led the path and were able to encourage municipal governments to change city codes so that any family living within the city limits can grow agricultural products for their own family’s consumption or for sale thru local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) centers, thereby making locally-grown fresh, affordable, and healthy fruits and vegetables available and accessible to a multiplicity of ethnic tastes.  Local university support for urban agriculture includes Lincoln University in Missouri, who joined the “Get Growing Kansas City” through their Innovative Small Farm Outreach Program and Kansas State University’s new “Urban Food Systems” specialized M.S. in Horticulture. 

 These programs greatly enhance the potential for nutritious food grown locally with the participation of urban residents and the cooperation of local governing bodies and universities.