Micro-Farming on Small Land for Food Security
In every industry, humankind keeps pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The realm of agriculture is no exception. When we think of farming, we probably view it as a rural activity often conducted on multiple acres of land by specialists who have dedicated their focus to profitably growing food for others. The notion of growing your own food represents a paradigm shift in how most modern day urbanites perceive the food supply chain. You don’t necessarily need acres of land to do it and the inconvenience of growing your own food has been mitigated by innovations in micro-farming techniques.
Micro-farming in this context refers to growing enough food to take care of a portion or even all of what your household needs.
Solutions are available for growing food in vessels as ridiculously small as tea cups or in spaces as seemingly inconsequential as the size of a door. Whether you live in a highrise building at the centre of the city, or on sprawling acres out in the open countryside, you can adopt a “farm to plate” lifestyle if you are so inclined. The concept, in its purest form, can be summarised as fresher, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, grown close to where they are going to be eaten, ideally consumed within seven days of being harvested. No long distance haulage across or within countries, no genetic modification, no industrial pesticides, no artificial ripening and no mould.
Jonas Ingold/LID