urban farming 2

URBAN FARMING

General overview of present day agriculture and the possibilities of its

development among urban circumstances

Agriculture in general• Agriculture is based on crop production till the Agrucultural

Revolution (for 10000 years).• The main crops are wheat, corn and rice. They requires different

climatic circumstances, thus they can be considered in ceartain parts of Earth.

• Wheat is typical in Central-Asia, Middle-East, Mediterraneum and Europe. It is sucessfully cultivated also in North- and South-America.

• Corn is native in Central- and North –America, it is successfully cultivated around the whole world.

• Rice requires a lot of water during the breeding-season, so that it is cultivated mostly in monsoon climate countries (East- and Southeast-Asia).

• It can be stated in general that these are not really ideal for urban farming (they requires huge fields).

Wheat field

• Agriculture is based on crop production till the Agrucultural Revolution (for 10000 years).

• The main crops

Corn field


• The main crops

Rice field


• The main crops

Main crops in the city I.• Although it is unequivocal that these main crops are not suitable for

cities there must be mentioned two fact, which could make two of them still useful.

• The first is the lifestyle of the wheat. The seeds are usually sown in autumn (October in Hungary) and the crop used to be harvested in summer (in Hungary, in mediterranean countries a little bit earlier).

• Considering the typical climate of a mediterranean type city (Central- and South-Europe, Middle East, South-Africa, southern part of the wast coast of USA, almost entire Australia) the lifecycle of the wheat is ideal for the climate. Thus it does not require any additional irrigation.

• This means that wheat (and barley) can be even used on rooftops instead of present day extensive roofs covered by Sedum and mosses.

• Harvesting, sowing product delivering can be a problem.

Main crops in the city II.• The second such factor is the cultivation of rice.• Rice requires water cover, but it must be shallow and the depth must

remain on an exact value.• Thus, the greatest problem at the beginning of rice production is

creating an absolutely smooth horizontal surface in the field before planting. In case of greater field this is a great problem (there must be used special earthwork tools with laser levelling geodesic arrangement).

• In historical landscapes especially in East-Asia this was made by human force (rice terraces).

• In case of rooftops, the smooth horizontal surface is given, so if the annual precipitation distribution makes it possible (East-Asia), rice production can be viable.

Rice terraces (mosaic of flat surfaces)


• The main crops

Solving the problem of harvest


• The main crops

Solving the problem of harvest• Especially because of the rice terraces, which feed about 1 billion

people, there were innovated small harvaesters and tractors, with quite low weight (under 2 tons), to be able to use them even 2 m wide rice terraces, without the risk of sliding the retaining wall.

• These can be used for rice, but also for wheat (and barley).• Thus, by using appropriate soil thickness (thicker than 25 cm),

appropriate strong bearing structures (walls, pillars) then traditional crops can be sucessfully cultivated on rooftops on all kind of temperate and subtropic climate (in these climate zones live about two third of the world population).

• On this way, semi extensive and extensive green roofs can be used up for crop production.

• As against present day intensive green roof the irrigation can be neglected, which means increased sustainability.

Fruits and vegetables• Fruits are typically growing on trees and shrubs, while vegetables are

typically anual plants.• Currently the trend is against using fruit trees in cities.• The main arguments: – It makes dirt (if it is not harvested).– It can be dangerous for children (they are climbing up for the

fruits and they can fall).– The fruit itself is dirty and unhealthy (due to the concentrated

urban pollution)– The property is not clear (for example in case of a tree on the

street, the fruit should belong to the local government)– Plant protection (against insects and fungus) can not be provided

efficiently in dwelling zones (the protective chemicals are usually poisonous)

Fruit tree problems• Dirt: if the fruit is harvested in time, then there is no dirt. • Danger: we have to admit some children climb trees independetly

from fruit. Moreover appropriate corridors (which can be necessary in case of allees due to car parking) can simply solve the problem.

• The fruit quality and pollution content problem: It comes primarily from air pollution, and secondary from the polluted subterranean water. The air pollution nowadays cause much smaller danger, due to the sulphur and lead content of gasolin is almost zero. Using cleaner vehicles (fuel cell, or electric, or gas cars) can be solved the problem. The polluted subterranean water can not be solved. The pollution rate of it needs permanent examination and of the concentration of any dangerous material is too high, then the fruit production (or at least consumption) must be banned.

Fruit tree problems II.• Property problems: there are many solutions. The so called

community garden, moreover the hiring (a community hires a garden, or an inner yard; an urban farmer hires an allee from the local government, or simply a band of unpaved property and plant into it fruit trees etc.). In urban circumstances the stealing is a much smaller problem, due to the cameras public lights and the permanent appearance of other unknown people.

• Plant protection is a great problem: Current chemicals are not suitable. There are two possible solution: 1. developing new chemicals (needs a lot of money and time and the success is not sure); 2 choosing such selected fruit tree types which do not require chemicals, highly resistant for insects and fungus (already exist such selected fruit tree types).

Urban fruit trees (orange)• Property problems: there are many solutions. The so called



Urban fruit trees (turkish hazelnut)• Property problems: there are many solutions. The so called



Vegetables I.• The simpliest and most widely used even in present days.• Vegetables can besuccessfully cultivated even in pots on balcony.• There are many kind of them, with different demands.• There surely exist a vegetable, which can be succesfully cultivated in

any given urban environment.• They can be used also in inner yards, immediately besides building

and even on very small surfaces (which is quite common in downtown).

• Most community gardens producing vegetables.• They provide remarkable product in very short time. Lettuce,

cucumber, paprika, tomato can appear in a few weeks after plantation.

Vegetables I.• The simpliest and most widely used even in present days.• Vegetables can besuccessfully cultivated even in pots on balcony.• There are many kind of them, with different demands.• There surely exist a vegetable, which can be succesfully cultivated in





• They require a great number of workers, can not be automatized as against crop production. This is advantageous by community gardens.

Vegetables in cummunity gardens I.• The simpliest and most widely used even in present days.• Vegetables can besuccessfully cultivated even in pots on balcony.• There are many kind of them, with different demands.• There surely exist a vegetable, which can be succesfully cultivated in






Vegetables in community gardens II.• The simpliest and most widely used even in present days.• Vegetables can besuccessfully cultivated even in pots on balcony.• There are many kind of them, with different demands.• There surely exist a vegetable, which can be succesfully cultivated in






Vegetables in community gardens III.• The simpliest and most widely used even in present days.• Vegetables can besuccessfully cultivated even in pots on balcony.• There are many kind of them, with different demands.• There surely exist a vegetable, which can be succesfully cultivated in






Vegetables in community gardens IV.• The simpliest and most widely used even in present days.• Vegetables can besuccessfully cultivated even in pots on balcony.• There are many kind of them, with different demands.• There surely exist a vegetable, which can be succesfully cultivated in






Stock farming• Planting is something simple. „They never run away”• Stock-farming is something very complex and difficult. • Animals needs also plants (they must be fed), and these plants must

be produced.• Medical treatment is also necessary, there can occur illnesses and

even diseases.• Moreover the welfare of these animals must be provided.• They produce manure continously, which must be handled/delivered

away.• To be able to use them up special tools and professionals are

necessary (the work of a slaughter is much mor complex and riskful, than harvesting cucumber).

• In urban environment the noise of animals (even poultry) is disturbing.

Stock farming• Thus, in urban environment stock farming is almost impossible.• There are only a few exceptations:– In garden city suburbs and in villages sometimes (depending on

the local culture) poultry is allowed.– Slaughterhouses can be inside the city („Chicago Bulls”).– Fish stocking is possible even in urban environment without the

mentioned disadvantages.– Practically, all kind of water ecosystem can be used as food

producer among urban circumstances, there is also possible to produce food also from water plants (i. e. edible algae, water caltrop etc.)

– There is possible to combine fish-farming and water plant food production in the so called aquaponic systems.

Fish-farming I.• Thus, in urban environment stock farming is almost impossible.• There are only a few exceptations:– In garden city suburbs and in villages sometimes (depending on





Fish-farming II.• Thus, in urban environment stock farming is almost impossible.• There are only a few exceptations:– In garden city suburbs and in villages sometimes (depending on





Fish-farming III.• Thus, in urban environment stock farming is almost impossible.• There are only a few exceptations:– In garden city suburbs and in villages sometimes (depending on





Algae-farming• Thus, in urban environment stock farming is almost impossible.• There are only a few exceptations:– In garden city suburbs and in villages sometimes (depending on





Hydroponic farming• Thus, in urban environment stock farming is almost impossible.• There are only a few exceptations:– In garden city suburbs and in villages sometimes (depending on





Poultry in the city• Thus, in urban environment stock farming is almost impossible.• There are only a few exceptations:– In garden city suburbs and in villages sometimes (depending on





Fungus farming• Besides plants and animals there is a third possibility: producing

fungus for food.• Edible fungus species are quite healty with a lot o nutritions.• Most edible fungus can be produced in cities, especially inside

buildings (cellars, closed chamber rooms).• They need usually organic material to use it up.• These organic materials are usually straw, but there are fungus types,

which can use up even arborescent organic materials.• Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) is edible and can grow on

tree trunks (on simply wood).• Composting is already widely used and accustomed in urban areas.• By using appropriate fungus types, almast all kind of compostable

organic materials can be easily used up for food production.• Great risk is that the concentration of pollution is increased in fungus.

Fungus farm I.• Besides plants and animals there is a third possibility: producing






Fungus farm II.• Besides plants and animals there is a third possibility: producing






Oyster mushrooms• Besides plants and animals there is a third possibility: producing






Oyster mushrooms with cucumber• Besides plants and animals there is a third possibility: producing






Thank you for your attention!

urban farming 2

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