India: Urban farming in India requires holistic policy support; here is why
In India, urban farming has seen some traction across states; but rapid development and the need to make urban agriculture viable mean the contours of official policy on it must be shaped
By Himanshu Nitnaware
Down to Earth
Jan 30, 2023
Excerpt:
Some 60 per cent of Delhi’s demand for meat is fulfilled by city-grown produce, as is 25 per cent of its milk and 15 per cent of its vegetable needs. Yet policies on land use and farming in the National Capital do not acknowledge the role of cultivation and distribution of food in urban areas, says a new draft policy by Delhi-based research non-profit People’s Resource Centre.
The “Draft Citizen’s Policy for Urban Agriculture in Delhi”, submitted to the Delhi government in September 2022, aims to provide a holistic framework for urban farming. 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. This benefit has long been highlighted in arguments for urban farming.
Rapid urbanisation, population explosion and climate change increases the risk of food shortage, says a 2017 study published in the International Journal on Emerging Technologies.
Similarly, a 2010 report by M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, notes that 50 per cent of women and children in urban areas are anaemic due to lack of adequate nutrition. Both studies recommend urban agriculture.
