Tyler Beauchamp 12 December 2013 Global Issues Urban Agriculture in Today's ociety The contro!

ersial issue o" urban "arming may not necessarily be the ne# cra$e% but many people around the #orld are beginning to !oice their opinions about this critical en!ironmental issue& Inherently this topic comes #ith connotations such as big cities% #hich are 'no#n "or ha!ing many large buildings and industries that cause a great amount o" pollution& There is also the stigma that many large cities are dangerous and crime ridden& (hile this may be true "or some% it allo#s the opportunity to discuss the ad!antages o" bringing urban agriculture to these areas in order to decrease crime% increase )obs% as #ell as security o" the community& *ne o" best things about e+panding urban "arming is that it can be done on !acant land in many o" these si$able cities& There are many di""erent opportunities to incorporate urban "arming% one o" them being to change gray roo"tops o" buildings to green roo"s #hich are able to gro# !egetables, this is one idea that Dr& ara (il'inson has "or ydney% Australia& This could be !ery suitable in places that ha!e #arm climates year round and also allo#s "or a greater usage o" rain #ater instead o" going through the gutters% do#n the drain and to the ocean& -.ggleton% 2013/& (il'inson's idea to con!ert roo"tops is progress in urban "arming e!en though Australia is already considered a de!eloped country% #hich does not ha!e the hunger issues that the ma)ority o" the #orld does& (il'inson argues 0building green ma+imi$es a building's per"ormance% #hich in turn deli!ers on the triple bottom line1 -.ggleton% 2013/& The triple bottom line is people% planet% and pro"its and also should lea!e no 2uestion #hether or not to commence "urther #ith this plan& In the article 0(hy 3an't 4eople 5eed Themsel!es61 7app8 states that one cannot thin' o" underde!eloped countries as an entity that has started that #ay and does not ha!e the possibility to ad!ance% but rather a process through #hich the minority -de!eloped countries/ ha!e changed the ma)ority -7app8% 19::/& ;any o" these underde!eloped countries ha!e 0!ie#ed intra<urban agriculture

mainly as a source o" problems% or at best as a sur!i!al option "or the urban poor in times o" crisis1 -=eeu#% 2011/& This means that less de!eloped nations get pushed do#n by the highly industriali$ed countries% then "ind it hard to branch out and try ne# things in order to ad!ance en!ironmentally and agriculturally& But #ith the increase in globali$ation and technology% poorer countries ha!e the access to ma'e cheap but e""ecti!e urban "arms& This in turn helps underde!eloped nations to ad!ance in all "acets o" society& In Bang'o'% #here they ha!e been #or'ing on their urban en!ironment% organi$ations ha!e #idened pro)ect scopes "rom solely building greenspace to enhancing community a#areness% capacity building% and empo#erment -5raser% 2002/& ;any people say that urban en!ironment is 0percei!ed as ha!ing only marginal importance to the urban economy and the people engaged in this sector are seldom people #ith in"luence on the city management le!el1 -Bryld% 2003/& But currently% cities are considered to be mainly "ood consumers% contributing to a large amount o" garbage in land"ills and #ater streams& I" go!ernments agreed to compost #aste to be used as "ertili$er% this #ould help urban en!ironments prosper% and #ould ma'e "ood more readily a!ailable in the cities% along #ith reducing the ecological "ootprint& Although 0dense cities could not e+ist #ithout highly producti!e rural areas pro!iding the bul' o" "ood1-4hilpott% 2010/% it is important that large cities are resource"ul #ith their #aste and de!elop #ays o" being e""icient and e""ecti!e in progressing the agricultural business in urban settings& This is highly important because the socially accepted #ays o" production and consumption are detrimental to our en!ironment and li"estyle&

>e"erences Bryld% .& -2003/& 4otentials% 4roblems% and policy implications "or urban agriculture in de!eloping countries&Agriculture and Human Values% 20-1/% :9<?@& >etrie!ed December 13% 2013% "rom the 4ro2uest database& < This resource #as used "or the in"ormation about studies behind underde!eloped countries and the use"ulness o" urban agriculture in those countries& The author is an accepted researcher in the "ield& .ggleton% ;& -2013/& 5rom .mpty >oo"s to 4ro"itable Gardens& Australian Financial Review% 1% 3& >etrie!ed December 12% 2013% "rom the 7e+is Ae+is database& < This resource is another peer re!ie# article about a con"erence held recently in Australia and their mo!ements to#ard urban en!ironment& 4hilpott% T& -2013% April ?/& 5eeding the 3ity& Grist& >etrie!ed December 12% 2013% "rom httpBCCgrist&orgCarticleC"ood<the<history<o"<urban<agriculture<should<inspire<its<"utureC"ullC <This article #as used "or the history o" urban agriculture and its gro#ing popularity& 5raser% .& -2002/& Urban ecology in Bang'o'% ThailandB community participation% urban agriculture and "orestry& Environments % 30-1/% 3:<D9& >etrie!ed December 12% 2013% "rom the 4ro2uest database& <This #as one o" the readings "or the class& EFGGHIJKLJMLIJNJOPQQRSTIJULJVWXYZWX[[\L Food first& 7ondonB Abacus <This is another one o" the readings "or the class& =eeu#% ]& D&% ^eenhui$en% >& ^&% _ Dubbeling% ;& -2011/& The >ole o" Urban Agriculture in Building >esilient 3ities in De!eloping 3ountries& Journal of Agricultural Science% 1 !- 1/% 1`3<1@3& >etrie!ed December 12% 2013% "rom the 4ro2uest database& <This is another peer<re!ie#ed )ournal that #as used "or the science o" urban agriculture in de!eloping countries&