fee
from the editor
W
Governments
around the world are
beginning to consider
or introduce legislation
that would provide
urban farmers with
subsidies and
grants similar to
those traditional
farmers receive.”
14
first feed
hen you think about the future of food, what comes to mind?
Food security might be one thing, quality and freshness another.
For many people, taking control of how food is grown and knowing
its source is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, governments
around the world are beginning to consider or introduce legislation
that would provide urban farmers with subsidies and grants similar
to those traditional farmers receive. Urban farming, vertical farming,
and commercial hydroponic producers are all poised to become major
providers to the food supply chain in coming years.
To do this, groundwork needs to be done. Urban farming practices
already thrive in cities around the world—there are small-scale
grassroots organizations and restaurants that grow their own food.
However, in order for isolated providers to become supply chain
producers, a number of steps need to be taken. First, outreach,
coordination, and new policies need to be initiated, followed by
business planning and development. Finally, consideration for the
health of the environment and citizens needs to be mapped out.
For the environment, this includes introducing technology that
mitigates water usage, conserving arable soil, reducing greenhouse
gas emissions, and greening urban areas. For citizens, it means
improving food security, eliminating food deserts, and improving
overall health of the population by improving the quality of food
people have access to.
As Kent Gruetzmacher explains on page 86, the US government is
leading the way on this initiative. While traditional agriculture will
likely never be usurped by urban or hydroponic gardening, modern
gardening and hydroponics will certainly play a pivotal role in
providing food for a growing global population.
In this issue of Maximum Yield, we address the future of growing
in other aspects. On page 42, Lee Alle