Urban farming in India: Hunger is growing in cities - rooftop gardens could help. They enable sustainable cultivation of fruit and vegetables. But is the model viable? And what political and social changes are needed for it to succeed?
00:01India's cities are among the most crowded in the world.
00:06Many people struggle with poverty and hunger.
00:10As the population grows, so do the challenges of feeding millions in the future.
00:16Could rooftop farming be part of the solution?
00:20It offers a way to grow fresh, healthy food right where people live.
00:24An old practice in many Indian cities, just like here in Thiruvananthapuram.
00:33Rooftop farms are more than a hobby for people, they're a way of life.
00:38Meet Shirley Johnson, a mother of three, who turned her rooftop into a farm.
00:44There she grows a variety of vegetables and fruits.
00:47After starting this terrace garden, I could provide organic food to my children.
00:57And I believe good food makes them behave well in society.
01:02Rooftop farms reduce the dependence on food from rural areas and allow it to be produced right where it is eaten.
01:12And they have a nice side effect.
01:16Cooling homes.
01:20Shirley gets seeds, seedlings and containers to grow vegetables through a state initiative.
01:26Such schemes are only available in some states though, such as Kerala, Bihar or Tamil Nadu.
01:32The types of support range from free seeds to training workshops and sometimes even financial aid for tools and equipment.
01:39Shirley gets all vegetables for the family from her own garden.
01:48I don't have to buy vegetables for our own consumption. I can save money here.
01:54I sell the surplus vegetables at the market and can contribute a small income to my family.
01:58It's a weekly market and the prices are higher than in supermarkets, making the fresh produce unavailable for those who need it the most.
02:14If the normal market price is 50 rupees, at our market we sell it for about 60 to 70 rupees.
02:20Only well-off people come to buy our products.
02:25And many people cannot just start their own rooftop farm as it requires a lot of resources.
02:30Rooftop gardening, although it is happening mostly in personal private residential spaces, it could also extend to the public institutions or government or semi-government institutions by using their rooftops.
02:49And those who do not have access, especially those from the economically lower strata, these common spaces could be made use for them.
03:00So it's not about owning a roof, it's about access to a roof.
03:05For Shirley and many others, rooftop farming is a way of life, and it is a step toward healthier, more self-reliant cities.
03:14However, a national and fair approach is needed.
03:17Nationally, there are no support available, but there are some independent state-level initiatives, yet it has some sort of huge gaps in addressing inclusivity and equity to who will get benefit and who can afford rooftop gardening.
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