URBAN AGRICULTURE

• Urban agriculture includes various types of farming systems such as orchards,vegetable production, live

stock and urban agro forestry.Urban agriculture has the potential for providing much higher benefits in

nutrition improvement, income generation, Enterprise development, Pollution control and environmental

enhancement WITH LAND management.

• Urban agriculture can be practiced on vacant and derelict lands in and around cities.

• It can also be practicable on public and private land such as:

Steep slopes,wet land,low lying urban lands

Along the sides of the road,canal,river and coastal bay

Backyards,roof tops,vacant lots and community gardens.

Peripheral land around institutions like schools,colleges etc.

Garbage landfills,suburban farms

Parks and green verge.

CASE STUDY:KMA

Urban agriculture can be divided into two categories:

a) Growing useful trees in cities and

b) Utilizing urban agriculture for waste and waste water recycling

• Many areas in KMA particularly in urban fringes, have the worst environmental conditions like

presence of sewage, garbage, dust packed earth and unstable soils. Vegetable farming and growing

fruit trees is feasible bacause of the availability of low cost labor.

• In KMA, growing of fruit trees has just begun approximately 50% of KMA is built up.KMA fringe

areas have large amounts of unbuilt areas.

• Part of these spaces can be gainfully utilised for producing fruits, vegetables.This can mitigate urban

hunger to some extent, generating employment and improving urban environment.

• Role model for KMA is Curitiba in brazil.

• With the support of environmental education department, fruit trees are planted by the local people.

• When suitable area is found, the department of environment contacts local representatives and involves

them in the planting process.

• The areas designated for planting are always public places mostly threatned by steep slopes, degraded

soil,etc.

• This process has begun in KMA but it has to gain momentum.

1.UTILISING URBAN AGRICULTURE FOR WASTE AND WASTE WATER MANAGEMNT

• KMA has already taken up initiatives in the context of waste water recycling.

• 1.WET LANDS IN EASTERN FRINGE: in KMC have been declared as RAMSAR CONSERVATION SITE which

covers 3,800 hectares.

• Eastern fringe of KMC is treating drainage and swage water without any help from STP. They use

Algea,sunlight,water hyacinth and using their trained skills.

• This employees about 26000 people.

• Finally, clear water from eastern fringe is being pumped and finally water mixes into bay of bengal.

1.UTILISING URBAN AGRICULTURE FOR WASTE AND WASTE WATER MANAGEMNT

• KMC generates 750 MGD of wast water daily. By utilizing these in photosynthesis process, and

developing phytoplankton fishes are produced.

• Also the solid waste produced can be used as natural compost used for vegetable production.

• The eastern fringe has waste water canals for irrigation. The irrigation is done using the sewage

water.

2.MUDIALY FISHERMEN’S CO OPERATIVE SOCIETY(MFCS)

• A group of 300 families that has leased 70 hectares of water area of Kolkata Port Trust(KPT) into

which waste water is released.

• The co-operative through a series of anaerobic tanks, Water hyacinth and other plants for

absorbing grease, Oil and heavy metals has turned the place into fish farm and nature park.

• It is estimated by RESOURCE COST RATIO ANLYST NAREN KARUNAKARAN, an investment of 0.57 Rs

worth non-profitable resources produce Rs.1 marketable goods.

BENEFITS OF UA IN KMA

• Waste recycling and resource recovery

• Environmental protction,urban land management

• Food security and employment generation

• Reduction of air and water pollution

CONSTRAINTS:

• Encroachment of water bodies by building promoters

• Lack of infrastructure for aqua culture

• In case of any lapse in treating of waste, may cause serious health hazards.

CONCLUSION

• Considering the benefits,urban agriculture can be a good practice in metropolitan

regions.

• It has to be linked with food system and land utilisation planning.

• The rivers,canals.agricultural land must be judiciously planned.

• The garbage dumping sites and sewage fed fisheries in east kolkata,mudilay and

bandipur areas have already started producing substantial amounts of vegetables

and fish.this concept can be extnded to other areas also.