An over a millienium old tradition is being reborn and explored in China.  Modern Agricultural Science Demonstration Park at Xiaotangshan, is located in Beijing, 17 Kilometers from the Asia Games Village.  It’s a planned community, 111 sq K, of which 2/3 is used for farming and rest is an urban community.  Don’t get too excited, it seems there is nothing organic yet and the “exciting” news is that ‘tomato trees’, ‘vertical pillar cultivation’, ‘industrialized seedling production line’ exist.  While I wouldn’t call this great news to hear, lots of good comes with Urban Farming.  It is highly efficient, lowers the carbon travel foot fit and makes people aware of where their food is coming from.  Jane Goodall is working on organic farming education with kids in China (http://www.jgichina.org/en/)

Urban Farming is taking a large approach in some areas.  In Mumbai,  Dr Ramesh T. Doshi, whose 12000 sq. ft. terrace in Bandra yields 5 Kg of fruits and vegetables daily for 300 days a year.  One of the interest components here is that he is recycling food wastes to use, reducing garbage, a needed item in our Chinese cities.

When Skyscrapers are rising high, what are some solutions? Build an farming soaring tall.  Mithun a sustainabile progressive architecture firm, also in Seattle has develop a concept that is Seattle centric to getting more green space in the city,  how do you put 1.3 acres of farming on a roof?

Vertical Farming has some great plus factors:
1. It makes our cities greener
2. Crops aren’t subject to climate issues
3. Can grow organically

The trend is growing in China, RUAF Foundation partnered with Chengdu and the government has built Szechuan Floriculture Park in Pi County.  There is some extensive research published in Chinese at http://www.cnruaf.com.cn/ and the more limited http://www.ruaf.org/index.php?q=node/495

In Shenzhen, the growing pattern is clever, within the city farmers produce the most perishable items while outside the city the hardier produce like potatoes and carrots are grown.

Resources:

Check out this City Farming Innovations Report by UNDP, aslo featuring Doshi http://ssc.undp.org/uploads/media/City_farming.pdf

Learn more about vertical farming

http://www.verticalfarm.com/

Community Farming

Seattle P-Patch http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/ppatch/

What is Urban Agriculture

http://www.ruaf.org/index.php?q=node/512