Urban agriculture essay

The resultant effect of such movements is the shortage of food supply. To curb this shortage, many nations in the world have embraced the art of urban agriculture. Urban Agriculture (UA) is the growing of plants and the rearing of animals within and around the metropolitan areas. The plant and animal products are processed and distributed to the local populations in the city (Game & Primus, 2015). Urban agriculture can be practiced in homesteads, or land far from the homesteads or in a public or private land. However, the need to address issues such as food security, the residents’ health and the promotion of social equality helped in the great regeneration of UA in the United States. This resurgence happened not only in the United States but also in various cities in the world.

For instance, in Chicago, the city hall introduced beehives in the rooftop which is used for the growing of crops. In London, there are groups and organizations which grow process and distribute food products in the city (Orsini et al, 2013). Many cities practice UA because of the government money, the need to fight poverty, poverty-related illnesses, the need to have access to safe and nutritious food products, subsidies given and the need to develop private businesses (Hoffmann, 2014). The scarcity of land in the metropolitan areas leads to the creativity and innovations in the practices of this kind of agriculture. Thus, its major focus is the market and the industrialization. People can plant crops on the rooftops, use of the vacant spaces between buildings, hydroponics, planting crops in containers and the use of greenhouses.

Urban residents can also rent out space to practice urban gardening. To add to the economic concerns, urban agriculture acts as a source of employment for the city residents. The spirit of entrepreneurship of the Chicago led to its economic development. For instance, the city has thousands of home gardens and community firms, agricultural organizations and other private entities. Thousands of residents have been employed to work on these firms. The food which is produced and processed is transported to other parts of United States and the world. The export of these products has led to economic development (Dickhut & Roback, 2011). Also, it has been used in promoting social integration, the provision of fresh and quality firm products. In addition, it has been used to prevent social ills (decrease the crime rates) such as theft and the beatification of the community (Bourque, 2000).

The farmers, neighbors, residents, government and entrepreneurs benefit from urban gardening. Although UA has a lot of advantages such as the provision of food security in the highly populated urban areas and the promotion of quality and fresh food, it has some drawbacks. Generally, it is very difficult to combine urban agriculture with other professional jobs which require an office set-up or environment. Poor weather and climate conditions can make farmers lose terribly. It is important to note that there are some policies which promote and prevent urban agriculture. This type of agriculture is guided by policies which are put in place by the government and other local organizations. Also, some international organizations such as the World Food Organization (WFO) have been at the fore front of championing urban agriculture.

Some policies are created to enable access of urban land use, land zoning and enhancing health. From the ancient cities such as Mesopotamia to the modern cities such as Chicago, Urban Agriculture has never lost its meaning but it is being regenerated by the use of appropriate methods and technology. It has a lot of advantages to the community, the investors, the government and other international agencies. Although there are some drawbacks such as pollution and environmental degradation, some mechanisms can be employed to curb the drawbacks. These mechanisms surface in the form of policies. References Bourque, M. Implementing Urban Agriculture in Chicago.  City of Chicago: Department of Zoning and Land Use Planning–Sustainable Development Division. Game, I. , & Primus, R. Urban Agriculture.