China’s Growing Urban Population Sprouts Urban Farms
December 22, 2011 by Robin Plaskoff Horton
Illustration: Guillermo Munro for the China Daily.
In response to its growing urbanization, China is reinventing the “garden city” concept in order to create space for both its urban and its displaced rural citizens. Every year, more than 15 million people move from the countryside to the cities. By 2025, China is expected to have 400 million more people living in its cities. To feed the world’s largest population, China will have to explore novel ways of food production.
Harvesting rice on a 120-square-meter rooftop paddy. Photo: Feature China/Barcroft Media.
As displaced rural communities are forced into the cities, urban planners have begun to analyze an emerging trend, the merging of country and city by preserving patches of space to be used as productive farmland within urban boundaries.
On his rooftop, Peng Qiugen has grown as much as 400kg of watermelon which he sells at the local market. Via livingrooftops.org.
The model could bring back work and purpose for displaced farmers, but also reduce food miles, meaning access to more fresh agricultural products at lower costs and a decrease in carbon emissons. As a bonus, urban farmland could also be showcased for “agrotourism” and used for education.
Trend-setting urban farmer. Zhang Yanlin for China Daily.
At the grassroots level, the concept is already in practice. Zhang Guichun, a 55-year old Beijinger, farms an organic “hanging garden” on the roof of his traditional courtyard home north of Tian Tan in southern Beijing.
“Even if we don’t have enough land in the city, agriculture can go vertical, up to roof and balcony,” Zhang notes.
Zhang, who practices traditional Chinese medicine, began cultivating his hanging garden five years ago and now grows about 3o varieties of vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, and melons, and now harvests enough to feed his entire family.
Planting on the rooftop like this apartment in Chongqing. Photo by Xinhua.
In addition to supplying his family with safe and nutritious food, Zhang’s vertical rooftop farm offers many other tangible benefits. The garden keeps his home cooler in the summer, reduces the number of mosquitoes as tomatoes are natural insect repellents, and he has cultivated more than veggies: he has bonded with neighbors.
“Neighbors,” explains Zhang, “enjoy dropping by for a relaxing chat or just to see how well the lovely vegetables and fruit are doing.”
Category: Edible Landscaping, Green & Sustainable, Green Roofs, Greening, Urban Agriculture, Vertical Gardens
Tags: hanging gardens, urban farming, urban farms
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USA developers need to take heed Great post on Farming the City
— December 23, 2011 @ 10:59
Yes great photos. We could all learn from this article. Growing plants are not only good to eat but wonderful for the soul and spirit. Happy Christmas and remember Jesus is the reason for the season. Suzy H Garden Galah Online Plant Nursery, Queensland, Australia
— December 23, 2011 @ 20:46
wish this should be possible in the city where I live: Antwerp, Belgium!
— December 24, 2011 @ 02:36
My wife’s parents live in a high-rise condo in Beijing. When I 1st visited in 2004, there was an empty lot around 2 acres in size that was meant for a school. Every 2 years when I visited again, I noticed that more and more people started taking over the empty lot and turning it into a huge community garden. Now, it’s full of garden plots instead of being an empty trashy lot.
— March 9, 2012 @ 20:36
Wish there were more building here in the USA that had small gardens on the roof top
— April 26, 2012 @ 08:30
wish this should be possible in the city where I live: Antwerp, Belgium!
— August 17, 2012 @ 00:09
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— October 3, 2012 @ 06:43
a very good chinese website about urban farming/balcony garden
— December 4, 2012 @ 05:21
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— September 22, 2013 @ 04:29
Urban Farming | Wandering China Pingback said:
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Why Dorothy, are you lacking a place to buy fresh fruits and veggies?
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Food & agriculture - Jan 4 - Resilience Pingback said:
[…] China’s Growing Urban Population Sprouts Urban Farms urban gardensvia China Daily In response to its growing urbanization, China is reinventing the “garden city” concept in order to create space for both its urban and its displaced rural citizens. Every year, more than 15 million people move from the countryside to the cities. By 2025, China is expected to have 400 million more people living in its cities. To feed the world’s largest population, China will have to explore novel ways of food production. […]
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