What is Urban Farming in India?

Today we will discuss Urban Farming in India in our today's edition of Current Affairs. Read further to upgrade your UPSC CSE knowledge and also understand the topic’s relevance to the UPSC syllabus.

Prelims: General issues on Bio-diversity

Holistic framework for urban farming, City-grown produce, Food security, Farming within urban areas, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, City farming project.

Mains: GS Paper III (Agriculture)

About the highlights of the Draft for Urban Agriculture, About Urban Farming, Urban Farming in India.

Context

The “Draft Citizen’s Policy for Urban Agriculture in Delhi”, states that policies on land use and farming in the National Capital do not acknowledge the role of cultivation and distribution of food in urban areas.

Probable Question

Urban farming in India requires holistic policy support. Elucidate. (150 words, 10 marks)

About the Highlights of the Draft for Urban Agriculture

• It aims to provide a holistic framework for urban farming.
• In Delhi, 60% demand for meat is fulfilled by city-grown produce, as is 25% of its milk and 15% of its vegetable needs. Still, the policies in the state do not acknowledge the role of the cultivation and distribution of food in urban areas.
• It recommends building on existing practices, promoting residential and community farming through rooftop and kitchen gardens, allocating vacant land for agricultural use, creating a market, developing policies for animal rearing, and spreading awareness.
• These recommendations are crucial to ensure food security for urban communities. 

About Urban Farming

• It is the practice of doing agriculture or farming within urban areas. It can be done on small patches of land, on roofs, and even on balconies. 
• Urban agriculture is loosely defined as the production, distribution, and marketing of food and other products within the geographical limits of a metropolitan area. 
• This includes community and school gardens, backyard and rooftop plots, and non-traditional methods of caring for plants and animals within a constrained area. 
• Some definitions also include farms that supply urban farmers' markets, community-supported agriculture, or farms located within metropolitan green belts.

Key Types of Urban Farms

• Institutional Farms and Gardens: Typically linked with an institution (such as hospitals, churches, prisons, schools, or public housing) whose primary mission is not large-scale food production, but instead to provide health, educational, and lifestyle opportunities.
• Community Gardens: Usually located on publicly-owned land or land trusts and managed by local resident volunteers. Community gardens mostly grow food, but some also produce flowers. Some community gardens provide space for community gatherings and events.
• Community Farms: Communal growing spaces operated by a nonprofit organization that engages the surrounding community in food production as well as social and educational programming. 
• Commercial Farms: Some for-profit farms exist in urban areas, although they tend to be small and often produce niche products. Some small urban commercial farms focus on non-traditional growing techniques like vertical or soilless farming. 

Need for Urban Farming

• Rapid urbanization, population explosion, and climate change increase the risk of food shortage.
• 50% of women and children in urban areas are anemic due to a lack of adequate nutrition. Thus urban agriculture is recommended.

Significance of Urban Farming

• Globally, in 2020, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization acknowledged that urban and peri-urban farming can contribute to local food and nutritional needs, enable jobs and reduce poverty.
• Kitchen gardening or small-scale community farming cannot sustain the large population but can act as a cushion to protect urban residents from inflation, vulnerabilities of weather, or crises such as COVID-19. 

Hindrance in Urban Farming

• Lack of Interest: Several initiatives towards urban agriculture failed due to a lack of interest from people and the government.
• Rapid development is also a hindrance in Urban farming and often results in the failure of various policies toward Urban agriculture.
• Farming in cramped urban spaces marred by water scarcity and pollution takes work. 

Urban Farming in India

India is rapidly urbanizing and is estimated to host 50% of its population in cities by 2050.

• In India, urban farming has seen some traction across states, prompting governments to introduce small-scale initiatives to promote the practice. 
• In 2008, Pune’s civic administration launched a city farming project to train and encourage people to take up farming on allocated land.
• Kerala had been food dependent until 2012, thus the government launched a vegetable development program to encourage gardening in houses, schools, and government and private institutions.
• The Kerala government also offered subsidies and support for eco-friendly inputs, irrigation, compost, and biogas plants. According to Kerala State Planning Board, vegetable production rose from 825,000 tonnes in 2011-12 to 1.3 million tonnes in 2014-15.
• In 2014, the Tamil Nadu government introduced a “do-it-yourself” kit for city dwellers to grow vegetables on rooftops, houses, and apartment buildings under its Urban Horticulture Development Scheme. 
• Since 2021, Bihar encourages terrace gardening in five smart cities through subsidies for input costs.

Way Forward

• In India rapid development and the need to make urban agriculture viable mean the contours of official policy on it must be shaped
• For an impactful and widespread initiative, a firm and well-planned policy for urban farming is required.
• To promote urban farming governments must recognize informal practices and link them with agricultural schemes.
• There is also a need to make urban agriculture viable.

News Source: Down to Earth

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/cultivated-idea-urban-farming-in-india-requires-holistic-policy-support-here-is-why-85450

Frequently Asked Questions

Significance

• Globally, in 2020, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization acknowledged that urban and peri-urban farming can contribute to local food and nutritional needs, enable jobs and reduce poverty.
• Kitchen gardening or small-scale community farming cannot sustain the large population but can act as a cushion to protect urban residents from inflation, vulnerabilities of weather, or crises such as COVID-19. 

If you want to enhance your IAS preparation and crack the UPSC CSE examination, download the PrepLadder app and get access to the finest study material for UPSC curated by India’s top UPSC faculty.

You can also join our Telegram channel for UPSC coaching and to stay updated with the latest information about the UPSC exam.