India: Hidden Gardens of Bengaluru: Reimagining Resilience Through Urban Agriculture
To better understand the implications of urban agriculture in Bengaluru and Pune, we launched a multilingual online survey, which includes questions on location, farming/gardening practices, and perceptions of benefits from urban farming.
By Swarnika Sharma
Time of India
June 5, 2021
Excerpts:
Bengaluru’s history is intertwined with the local agroecology of the region since its genesis. Kempe Gowda, the founder of this iconic southern city of India, is said to have included gardens in his city plan way back in the 16th century. Two of the explanations behind the city’s name link its origin to its agroecology—an abundance of ‘benga’ (Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb.) or Malabar kino and the offering to Kempe Gowda of boiled beans or ‘benda’ (Kannada), the then predominant local pulse produce.
As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic highlights, urban agriculture can be a useful strategy in reimagining a more localised and resilient urban food system. This was as evident in Bengaluru as in any part of the world. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is an increased uptake of agriculture among urban dwellers during the COVID-19-induced lockdowns. And the trend indicates a growing awareness about the importance of chemical-free, nutritious food for good health.
