https://cityfarm.my/ Sharing session 2: Urban Agriculture / Farming Khairul, Kamarudin
Urban Agriculture (UA) is not a new phenomenon. Urban populations have engaged in producing some of their food close to their own residence within or outside the city. Food production in urban settlements of ancient civilization has always been part and parcel of the urban economy. UA can be defined in a number of ways: UA as a socio-economic activity that involves crop growing and livestock keeping in intra-urban open spaces and peri-urban areas (Sawio, 1998) UA is defined as the practice of agricultural activities within urban and peri-urban periphery (Islam & Siwar, 2012). This presentation may focus on small scale farming in the urban environments as practiced by the historically disadvantaged groups.
Why UA is needed? https://cityfarm.my/
Why UA is needed? https://cityfarm.my/
100 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0 Hong Kong 100 Singapore Qatar 98 Belgium Kuwait http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS Japan 93 Argentina Israel 90 Chile Netherlands 89 Australia Denmark Brazil New Zealand 86 Sweden Finland 84 Jordan Saudi Arabia 83 United Kingdom Urban Population in 2015 (%) Canada Korea, Rep. 82 United States France 80 Norway Spain 79 Libya Peru 77 75 75 74 Brunei Darussalam Germany MALAYSIA Russian Switzerland Iran (original presentation slide by Prof Asan Ali, 2017) 73 Turkey Iraq 69 Italy South Africa 63 Ireland Portugal Botswana 56 China Ghana 54 54 Indonesia World 50 48 Thailand Nigeria Philippines 43 Egypt Somalia Lao PDR 39 Pakistan Madagascar Bangladesh 34 Introduction Myanmar Vietnam 33 India Afghanistan Kenya 21 Cambodia Nepal South Sudan 18 Sri Lanka Malawi Uganda 13 Papua Next R
Malaysia – Urban vs Rural Population (%) 100 Rural Rural 90 * * 88 88 * * 85 84 * 81 80 77 * 73 71 70 50-50 66 62 60 51 50 49 40 38 34 30 29 27 23 * 20 Urban Urban 19 * 16 * 15 * * * 12 12 10 0 1950 1960 1970 1980 1991 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 1990 Estimation * Department of Statistics Malaysia. Cencus data 1970, 1980, 1991, 2000, 2010 (original presentation slide by Prof Asan Ali, 2017) R Next
60.0 53.2 50.0 Contribution Agri sector to % Labour force GDP and Labour Force (%) 40.0 30.0 26.0 23.3 20.0 %KDNK / GDP 12.8 12.2 10.0 9.1 0.0 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 50 45.4 Contribution to GDP according to Sectors (%) 45 42.7 42.3 40.7 40 40.1 Primary sector/industry - natural products; 36.2 35 agriculture, mining and forestry, gas etc. 33 30.5 30 28.4 25 25.2 Secondary sector/industry - processing; 20 19.1 manufacturing & construction 17.7 15 10 Tertiary sector/industry - services; 5 retail sales, entertainment, financial 0 organizations etc. 1970 1980 1990 2000 1975 1988 R (original presentation slide by Prof Asan Ali, 2017) Next
This “nature of UA” is largely the result of the sector being officially marginalized in urban land allocations and planning processes (Van Rooyen et al., 1995). In some cases, UA grew with informal settlements and being incorporated (informally) as an urban land use activity (Q: how about in development plan/land use plan/government reserve?). UA activity was mainly informal, however, practitioners did apply modern technologies if they need resources e.g. water collection/rain water harvesting, biochar & composting, storage, drainage and slope terracing.
Following the phenomenal increase in the cost of living in the city, wider spread of poverty and unemployment, encouraged the B40 households that often involved in informal sector to venture into food production (small scale UA) as an alternative to money. In some cases, UA were able to sustain food production due to several factors including involvement of family labour, minimum capital and utilization of simple and appropriate technologies to increase productivity. During the 90s, UA practitioners were estimated to be about 800 million (Sawio, 1998).
UA is important in the urban informal sector in most developing countries (Islam & Siwar, 2012). UA is spatially mobile and its scale of operation changes based on the needs and readiness/changes of environment, technical, socio- cultural and economic factors.
Lack of data to describe the type of crops planted in UA. Wade (1981) simply stated that production of crops should be based on the sustained contribution to consumption levels, the value of the crop consumed, length of harvest and the sale of the crop. Mougeot (1994) mentioned crop choice by farmers is based on local water supply, soil condition, distance from home, plot size, use of the product and the gardener‘s control over future use of the plot.
Issues/Prospect of UA Community garden in Putrajaya Access to Land (illegal/TOL/legal): The ability to access land is an important factor in determining who farms in urban environments. Often those who have been in the area for longer periods are more likely to be involved in farming because they are most likely to access land as they know procedures (formal and informal) and have networks. However there are also indications that new migrants from rural areas are the ones most likely to practice farming as the legacy of their rural life. In practice UA proves to be a complex action integrated into the urban fabric. Community garden in Putrajaya
Spatial Dimension According to Islam & Siwar (2012), areas effectively under UA is much greater than conventional land use classifications and maps may capture. Reported areas often exclude forms of UA in residential spaces. Land used for UA is also found adjacent to road and railway lines, rivers and valleys, along power lines and other open spaces within urban boundaries (illegal/TOL?).
Spatial Dimension The sizes of the plots differ according to the availability of space and the ability of the individual to work the area. Land used for UA is not always within the residential site. Plots are in some cases considerable distances away from residential sites. UA practices are spatially spread within urban boundaries. The dispersed pattern results from the mobility of the sector as it constantly shifts from one place to the other giving way to urban developments.
Planning Policies And Strategies A planned urban environment generally considers farming as a non-urban land use activity. Van Rooyen et al. (1995) based his argument on Gauteng Provincial Government Policy Document (South Africa). Gauteng Small farmer Settlement Programme Policy Document specify that existing land allocation and tenure policies in relation to government owned agricultural land are viewed inappropriate for agricultural development in Gauteng. Urban authorities view UA as remnants of rural life interfering with modernization. This attitude denies UA the necessary support and attention. Public sector support to UA was directed to serve large-scale commercial farmers adjacent to urban concentration ignoring small scale and informal operations.
Strategic Considerations for Successful UA (Islam & Siwar, 2012): i) Integrated approaches: based on the literature review, it can be argued that UA should not be excluded during urban development planning. To optimize the contribution and functioning of this sector, the link between the activity and the rest of the urban economy must be understood and strengthened. UA should be systematically integrated into the urban system.
Strategic Considerations for Successful UA (Islam & Siwar, 2012): ii) Policy development: The potential role of UA in poverty alleviation and urban economic growth will depend on the strengthening of the asset base of the urban poor as well as on policies relating to UA promotion. Policies are critical for the creation of enabling environment for UA development.
Strategic Considerations for Successful UA (Islam & Siwar, 2012): iii) Planned interventions: Specific agricultural policies supported by the zoning of high potential farming areas and the provision of access to a range of economic and technical support services are required for UA development. The public and private sector partnership should be engaged to provide support services. iv) Flexibility and innovation: The promotion and development of UA requires flexible and innovative strategies. Innovative and valuable solutions to urban problems are often found in grassroots experiments or small-scale local government pilot projects. To achieve maximum impact, successful innovations should be up scaled and replicated.
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