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Strategies to improve the productivity, product diversity and profitability of urban agriculture

Author

Listed:
  • O'Sullivan, C.A.
  • Bonnett, G.D.
  • McIntyre, C.L.
  • Hochman, Z.
  • Wasson, A.P.

Abstract

The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that more than 800 million people engage in urban agriculture producing more than 15% of the world's food. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in urban agriculture in many wealthy, developed cities, with new technology and agro-architecture being employed to grow food in cities at commercial scale. This has been accompanied by an increase in media coverage. Big claims are being made, including that urban agriculture can decrease greenhouse emissions, ‘climate proof’ farms, help solve food security for growing urban populations and provide chemical free food with no risk of pests and diseases. Many of these claims need to be rigorously tested to ensure that sound investments can be made in enterprises that are financially viable and capable of delivering on claims of social and environmental benefits. Around the world, traditional broadacre and horticulture farming have been underpinned by years of biological, chemical, physical, economic and social research. Urban agriculture needs similar support as the industry grows and develops around the world. There are opportunities to improve crop yields and quality by pairing advancements in environmental controls, phenomics and automation with breeding efforts to adapt traits for architecture, development and quality (taste and nutrition) allowing a more diverse set of crops to be grown in controlled-environment farms. Urban farms are uniquely placed to take advantage of urban waste energy, water and nutrients but innovations are needed to use these resources safely and economically. This review discusses the technological research and innovations necessary for urban agriculture to meet the nutritional requirements of growing urban populations.

Suggested Citation

  • O'Sullivan, C.A. & Bonnett, G.D. & McIntyre, C.L. & Hochman, Z. & Wasson, A.P., 2019. "Strategies to improve the productivity, product diversity and profitability of urban agriculture," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 133-144.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:174:y:2019:i:c:p:133-144
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2019.05.007
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Hailong & Guo, Wenjie & Sun, Qie & Liu, Shengchun & Avelin, Anders, 2024. "Selecting carbon dioxide enrichment technologies for urban farming, from the perspectives of energy consumption and cost," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    2. Shivneta Singh & Ashika Naicker & Heleen Grobbelaar & Evonne Shanita Singh & Donna Spiegelman & Archana Shrestha, 2024. "Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention at Workplaces in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-12, March.
    3. Simon Marvin & Lauren Rickards & Jonathan Rutherford, 2024. "The urbanisation of controlled environment agriculture: Why does it matter for urban studies?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 61(8), pages 1430-1450, June.
    4. Giller, Ken E. & Andersson, Jens & Delaune, Thomas & Silva, João Vasco & Descheemaeker, Katrien & van de Ven, Gerrie & Schut, Antonius G.T. & van Wijk, Mark & Hammond, Jim & Hochman, Zvi & Taulya, God, 2022. "IFAD Research Series 83: The future of farming: who will produce our food?," IFAD Research Series 322005, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    5. Michael Graham Parkes & Rebekah O’Rourke & Tiago Domingos & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira, 2023. "An Experimental Portuguese Social-Enterprise Project in Urban Agriculture: A Case Study on the Influence of the Interaction of Stakeholder Roles on Sustainable Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Rui de Sousa & Luís Bragança & Manuela V. da Silva & Rui S. Oliveira, 2024. "Challenges and Solutions for Sustainable Food Systems: The Potential of Home Hydroponics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
    7. Jost Buscher & Julija Bakunowitsch & Kathrin Specht, 2023. "Transformative Potential of Vertical Farming—An Urban Planning Investigation Using Multi-Level Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-19, November.
    8. Engler, Nicholas & Krarti, Moncef, 2021. "Review of energy efficiency in controlled environment agriculture," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    9. Youhanna E. William & Hui An & Szu-Cheng Chien & Chew Beng Soh & Barbara Ting Wei Ang & Toshikazu Ishida & Hikaru Kobayashi & David Tan & Ryan Hong Soon Tay, 2022. "Urban-Metabolic Farming Modules on Rooftops for Eco-Resilient Farmscape," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Heino Pesch & Louis Louw, 2023. "Exploring the Industrial Symbiosis Potential of Plant Factories during the Initial Establishment Phase," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-30, January.
    11. Wojciech Sroka & Piotr Sulewski & Jaroslaw Mikolajczyk & Karol Król, 2023. "Farming under Urban Pressure: Business Models and Success Factors of Peri-Urban Farms," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-23, June.
    12. Muhammad Muhitur Rahman & Runa Akter & Jaber Bin Abdul Bari & Md Arif Hasan & Mohammad Shahedur Rahman & Syed Abu Shoaib & Ziad Nayef Shatnawi & Ammar Fayez Alshayeb & Faisal Ibrahim Shalabi & Aminur , 2022. "Analysis of Climate Change Impacts on the Food System Security of Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, November.

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