The study, led by Stepan Svintsov, a researcher at the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development in Dresden, Germany, employed a surveying and modeling program known as geographical information systems (GIS) to catalogue available space on rooftops and the ground in 840 cities across 30 European countries. The smallest city in terms of population was Melun, France, with 9,000 people; the largest was Paris, with 7 million. The smallest city in terms of geographical reach was Mislata, Spain, at 0.2 sq. km; the largest was Paris again, at 100 sq. km.
“We need to level off the rooftop,” says Prajal Pradhan, associate professor in the faculty of science and engineering at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands, and a co-author of the study. “That’s why we use the two-degree rule.”
Taking all of those x-factors into consideration, the researchers concluded that from 4,500 to 7,500 sq. km. of urban land and rooftops could be used for cultivation—the equivalent of up two two islands the size of Mallorca. Overall, up to 9% of the average city’s footprint could support rooftop farming and 7.2% could support ground cultivation.
Urban cultivation does more than fill grocery shelves and farmers’ markets—it also reduces greenhouse gas output, eliminating the carbon load produced by shipping fruits and vegetables across a continent or ocean. “Let’s say you have a tomato that is produced in Spain and transported to Germany,” says Pradhan. “Compare that to a tomato produced within Berlin.”
There are other knock-on benefits of urban farming—not least reducing urban temperatures. In summer, brick, concrete, and asphalt cities are nothing short of heat sinks, baking in the high sun during the day and radiating heat back out at night. Carpeting rooftops and empty lots with vegetation combats this, producing an overall cooling effect. Pradhan cites studies showing that residences in the vicinity of an urban garden do experience lower summertime temperatures than those farther away.
Still, the researchers conclude, the fruits—both literal and otherwise—of urban farming easily outweigh the downsides, contributing not only to better provisioned residents, but happier ones too.
“There are a lot of [benefits] related to mental health,” Pradhan says. “It’s not only about biodiversity, it’s not only about environment, it’s not only about food, it’s also about a way of healthy living. This is all part of a healthy lifestyle.”
Hence then, the article about city farming could supply nearly 30 of europe s fruit and vegetable needs study finds was published today ( ) and is available on Time ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( City Farming Could Supply Nearly 30% of Europe’s Fruit and Vegetable Needs, Study Finds )
Also on site :