Urban farming plants seed of sustainability
- The benefits of healthier produce and the social and economic impact are such that more people should embrace the practice
Farming in a skyscraper city like Hong Kong would seem an abstract idea, but it is possible and there are good reasons why it should become commonplace.
High up and out of sight, there are already dozens of urban rooftops where vegetables, herbs and fruits are being grown. Parks and other government facilities and institutions including schools and hospitals also host community gardens.
While the percentage of people involved in the growing, tending and harvesting of produce is small, the benefits of healthier produce, sustainability and the social and economic impact are such that more should embrace what is becoming a global trend.
At the heart of urban farming is fresh food.
More than 90 per cent of what Hong Kong eats comes from mainland China or overseas and days or even weeks could pass before it is consumed, requiring special production methods. Health scares have led some people to turn to organic produce, usually from the hundreds of local farms that have been established in rural areas.