Tradition goes high tech: South and Southeast Asia’s emerging urban farm entrepreneurs.

Abstract

The proportion of the world’s population living in urban areas is increasing dramatically; as of 2007, more people live in urban than rural areas [1]. As growing populations in urban areas demand greater food supplies, coupled with a rise in rural to urban migration and the need to create livelihood options, there has been an increase in urban agriculture worldwide [2,3]. With more and more focus on social equity, urban agriculture can benefit both the urban poor and more affluent city-dwellers by targeting gaps in the food system, have a positive impact on urban development, and raise the quality of life and livelihoods through increased employment opportunities and improved access to high quality food and social opportunities [4]. But, how does urban agriculture achieve these goals?

As urban agriculture gains traction in cities across the globe, it manifests in various ways. In some cities, the trend is emerging at a grassroots level, whereas in others, governments are providing resources and changes in policy to incentivize research and development of high-tech and intensive urban farming. This paper presents exploratory findings on the current state of urban farming initiatives in five case cities in south and southeast Asia: Delhi and Bangalore, India; Singapore; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Jakarta, Indonesia. Research methods include a review of the academic and gray literature, interviews, and site visits. Although the five cities represent diverse socio-political-economic contexts, there are common trends among emerging urban farm entrepreneurs. We conclude with a brief discussion of the implications for social equity and food security.