From gray to green: Urban farming around the world
Urban farming has been around for as long as there's been cities, but it's recently been enjoying a global revival. From Berlin to Bangkok, city dwellers are planting on roofs and walls to turn cities from gray to green.
Balconies, walls, even containers - all kinds of urban spaces can be turned into mini farms. Around 10 billion people will be living on our planet by 2050 and two out of three of those will be in cities. Providing nutrition for those billions in an age of changing climate and rapidly-draining resources is one the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Which is where urban farming can help.
City dwellers yearning for nature are increasingly turning to urban gardening. The reasons for this revival are many. One is to increase quality of life and create social bonds within the community. Another is that urban farming boosts local economies by creating jobs and encouraging the development of more marketable crafts, providing greater food security.
CIFOR