Cultivated idea: Urban farming in India requires holistic policy support; here is why

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Agriculture and related issues

Source: DTE 

Direction: The article discusses urban farming in India-its importance, steps taken, challenges and way ahead.

Context: The “Draft Citizen’s Policy for Urban Agriculture in Delhi” by Delhi-based research non-profit People’s Resource Centre, was submitted to the Delhi government in 2022, to provide a holistic framework for urban farming.

Background:

• Produce cultivated in the city provides 60% of Delhi’s demands for meat, 25% of its milk, and 15% of its vegetable requirements.
• However, the National Capital’s land use and farming policies do not take into account how food is grown and distributed in urban areas.

Recommendations in the Draft Citizen’s Policy for Urban Agriculture in Delhi:

• 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.

Significance of the above recommendations:

• Rapid urbanisation, population explosion and climate change increase the risk of food shortage.
• The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (2010 report) notes that 50% of women and children in urban areas are anaemic due to a lack of adequate nutrition.
• In 2020, the UN FAO acknowledged that urban and peri-urban farming can contribute to local food and nutritional needs, enable jobs and reduce poverty.

Steps taken in India to promote urban agriculture:

• In 2008, Pune’s civic administration launched a city farming project to train and encourage people to take up farming on allocated land.
• In 2012, the Kerala government launched a vegetable development programme to encourage gardening in houses, schools, and government and private institutions.
  • It also offered subsidies and support for eco-friendly inputs, irrigation, compost and biogas plants.
• In 2014, the Tamil Nadu government introduced a “do-it-yourself” kit for city dwellers to grow vegetables on rooftops, houses and apartment buildings under its Urban Horticulture Development Scheme.
• Since 2021, Bihar has encouraged terrace gardening in five smart cities through subsidies for input costs.

Concerns:

• The impact of such initiatives cannot be widespread without a strong policy for urban farming. For instance, Pune’s initiative failed due to poor interest from people and the government.
• The recently released draft Master Plan of Delhi for 2041, does not acknowledge the role of urban farming. For example, it restricts human activity (many practise urban farming) in areas directly adjacent to the Yamuna River.
• Rapid urbanisation is also a hindrance. Eg.: Jaunti village in Delhi, has become an ‘urban village’, making its land non-agricultural.

Way ahead:

• Integrating all efforts to promote urban farming is the key.
• There is a need to make urban agriculture viable.
• Farming in urban spaces (water scarcity and pollution) is not easy. Using wastewater (directly or recycled) can address water scarcity and pollution.
• Innovative techniques, say, hydroponics (offers a cleaner approach), can be further promoted.
  • Hydroponics is a method of soilless farming that uses nutrient solutions to sustain plants.
  • Compared to commercial farming, hydroponics requires 90% less water, which can be reused. One can grow more plants in the space given.

Conclusion: Urban farming cannot sustain the large population, but can act as a cushion to protect urban residents from inflation, vulnerabilities of weather or crises such as COVID-19. Before more villages become urban, early interventions can result in a sustainable system.

Insta Links:

Regenerative agriculture: A step towards water conservation

Mains Links:

Q. How far is the Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production? (UPSC 2019)