The urban population has come to believe that food production is the duty of their rural brethren. But the stress on food safety and nutritional security has caused a change in their perception. Food consumption patterns of urban households are undergoing a paradigm shift. More and more urban families are evincing keen interest in homestead farming, whether it is in the backyard, terrace or poly houses.
The increased awareness on pesticide residue in agricultural produces from unidentified sources has prompted the urban people to spare some efforts for family farming. The trend is so apparent that a small vegetable garden has become a thing of joy and pride for most homes. The efforts to increase food safety, household food security and child nutrition combined with a fondness for pollution free environment has driven the cause further. In this context, our university will scientifically explore the possibility of integrating hydroponics and aeroponics also in these farming practices. KAU’s technology for the composting of wastes will be commercially utilized to help popularize urban and peri-urban agriculture in an organic mode. Urban and peri-urban agriculture has the potential to succeed in our state as around 35% of the agricultural activities in Kerala is currently done by womenfolk. The university can also tie up with Kudumbashree and Janashree missions to create a revolution in this front. Urban and peri-urban agriculture will redeem the greener environment which was lost due to un-sustainable intensification and extension of cities. Urban agriculture can also make productive reuse of urban wastes. But this now largely informal activity has to be transformed into a commercial and professional initiative through scientific interventions and development of specific package of practices.
Kerala’s narrow urban-rural divide is a strength as well as weakness as far as strategies to strengthen urban agriculture are concerned. Yet it is easily possible to promote homestead cultivation of leafy vegetables, mushrooms, cucurbits and protein rich vegetables. Nutrition garden in housing colonies is another feasible and attractive option. However, we need to sensitize our planners and policy makers about the socio-economic and ecological potentials of urban and peri-urban agriculture and also take conscious efforts to include the same in our urban planning processes.
I have no doubt that urban and peri-urban agriculture can make significant social, economic and ecological contributions which will help us to achieve sustainable urban development. This practice can also become a complimentary system of our rural agriculture. I am asking my scientists to view the urban and peri-urban ecosystems as providers of healthy, nutritious and safe food that will boost local well-being and reduce the ecological footprints of our cities and towns.
(Vice Chancellor)
