Urban farming is a profitable agricultural activity that has numerous advantages for not only farmers, but also large communities and the environment. It involves cultivating food and raising animals in towns, cities, and urban areas. Engineers have an essential role to play in facilitating this, as creativity and technical skill are essential when it comes to developing the methods and technologies used in urban agricultural environments. In the United Kingdom, there are more than 50 urban farms that add care, character and a touch of surprise to other British cities.
These farms can be installed on rooftops, in basements, in transport containers, or even in tunnels or abandoned car parks. Urban farms argue that they are spaces where urban people can enrich their lives with intimate and rewarding work with animals and plants. Urban agriculture has many benefits. It helps to incorporate vegetation into abandoned post-industrial urban landscapes and offers young people the opportunity to grow food and work with animals.
It also provides a hands-on experience with animals, flowers and vegetables for children. Additionally, urban farms can provide employment opportunities for farmers and horticulturists who supply vegetables to local restaurants. Urban farming is not without its challenges. Many municipal farms are care farms, where the animals are used only for therapeutic purposes.
This means that they do not qualify for subsidies that support commercial farms. Furthermore, some urban farms have closed their doors after the Covid pandemic, despite passionate local campaigns to save them. Despite these difficulties, urban farming is still a profitable agricultural activity that has many advantages for both farmers and the community. From their new experiences in urban agriculture, people can create new ways to improve existing agricultural systems.
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