Urban agriculture does not produce enough for local needs
Assessment of the Effect of Urban Agriculture on Achieving a Localized Food System Centered on Chicago, IL Using Robust Optimization
By Christine Costello*, Zeynab Oveysi, and Ronald McGarvey
Ag Daily
Feb 3, 2021
Excerpt:
Environmentally conscious consumers try to “buy local” when food shopping. Now, a study of food raised around Chicago has shown that buying local can’t provide all necessary nutrients for area residents, though it could fulfill their needs if some nutrients were supplied as supplements. The researchers report in American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology that urban agriculture made little difference in reducing overall land area, and thus distance, required to supply all nutritional needs.
As the U.S. population continues to flow to urban regions, consumers are moving farther from farms and croplands. This limits nutrient recycling and drives up emissions associated with transporting food. In addition, urban centers can develop “food deserts” where residents can’t purchase nutritious food close to home. One potential solution is urban agriculture, which repurposes space within cities — such as vacant lots and rooftops — to grow crops. Christine Costello and colleagues wanted to know the impact of urban agriculture on enabling people living within a range of distances from Chicago’s center to eat local food, yet meet their complete nutritional needs.
