Urban agriculture development is parallel with urbanization

Efficient and less pests

As one of the five major urban centers of the country with a population of more than 2 million people, in recent years, along with the strong urbanization process, the agricultural land area in Hai Phong has gradually shrunk, and urban agriculture has been interested since early.

Currently, although Hai Phong does not have a specific policy to develop agriculture in urban areas, to support farmers in making agricultural production models suitable to the conditions of urbanization, there is an quite active plan in order to ban raising livestock and poultry in the inner city and the transformation of crop and livestock structure.

Up to now, Hai Phong has established quite effective urban agricultural models, most notably ornamental biology, growing sprouts, fast growing edible mushrooms, creating valuable products. Every year, in urban districts, competent authorities such as Economic Department, Farmers' Association,... have actively coordinated with specialized agencies to organize training on mushroom production techniques, flower growing,... ornamental plants, short-term vegetables,... and at the same time support farmers with capital, varieties, production materials, and focus on helping households invest in making new models.

By applying these effective models, thousands of urban households have access to farming, with vegetables and fruits,... that have high economic efficiency, which not only provide safe food for their families but can also be share with the community.

Ms. Vu Thi Hieu, living at Mieu Hai Xa Street, Le Chan district, shared that her family has a terrace area of ​​about 50m2, but the vegetables, tubers and fruits grown here not only provide adequately for her and her grandparents' families but can even be shared with the neighbors.

Taking advantage of the terrace to grow more vegetables, fruits,... has many benefits. Firstly, to help me exercise better, I don't sit still, don't watch TV much. Secondly, I can grow clean and delicious vegetables not only for my family, but also for my grandparents to eat, instead of buying in the market. Moreover, the quality of my products give a better feeling than those buying from markets.

Ms. Hieu shared that farming in the ground is easier in the watering process, but there are more pests and diseases, my family grows vegetables and fruits using only organic fertilizers, so there are no pests. “Every day, I only take advantage of the time from 1-2 hours to take care of the vegetable garden in the morning and in the evening, mainly just to observe. In the hot season, my family mainly grows melons, and in the fall and winter, I grow a lot of vegetables, both to eat and to give to the neighbors," said Ms. Hieu.

Like Ms. Hieu's family, along the central streets of Hai Phong, most families with high-rise buildings also make good use of them to grow clean vegetables, melons, spice plants,... as well as valuable ornamental plants.

Ms. Vu Thi Thom, a senior gardener in Du Hang ward, Le Chan district, confided that the garden not only provides vegetables and fruits for family meals to be more clean and quality, but also a great environment for your child's childhood to develop healthier and more outgoing.

Living in a city with many concrete walls, the atmosphere is stuffy, cramped, and chaotic, so I tend to like small green spaces built in the house which are necessary and very useful. Therefore, every season there is a signature type of vegetable. Moreover, trees that have many leaves and fruits will be chosen by her to grow.

Adults can take advantage of their leisure time to garden and take care of plants, while young children will be taught from a young age how to take care of plants, garden, and play in a peaceful green space. “Each family, instead of a roof of concrete and heat-resistant corrugated iron, will be covered with green, cool vegetable gardens, having both a green space for children to play and a place for working adults to relax and specially, is to provide quality, fresh meals for the family. This is both a playground and a source of clean food, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, covering the city with green, only beneficial, not causing any harmful consequences", Ms. Thom confided.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung - the Head of Economic Division of Le Chan district said that because there are no guidelines or policies related to agricultural economic development in urban areas, the district does not have specific statistics. However, from reality shows that most families with high-rise buildings, or with vacant land, take advantage of the space to grow more vegetables and fruits to improve and create a cool landscape. The fact that households take advantage of the empty space for agricultural production, growing vegetables and fruits has both contributed to creating a green, cool, close to nature space and creating safe products to improve meals.

Ms. To Thuy Hoan, residing in Do Son district shared, since having a rooftop garden, she has seen a positive change in her life, her family does not have to buy vegetables from outside but always has clean and fresh food available. Sometimes when she couldn't finish eating, she can even brought it to her relatives and friends to enjoy.

In addition to providing clean vegetables, the rooftop garden is also a place for Ms. Hoan to relax, practice yoga, watch flowers, and take photos. On the occasion of Tet when the top is a rig of ripe red tomatoes, below are all kinds of blooming flowers and green vegetables. Since having a garden and fruit trees, she loves the house more and also takes more time to relax and live healthier.

Great potential

According to the vision plan to 2045 - 2050, Hai Phong will become a city with a high level of development in the group of leading cities in Asia and the world, being a green, civilized and modern port city.

Specifically, in terms of scale, it is expected that by 2030, Hai Phong will have about 2.8 - 3.0 million people, with an urbanization rate of 74 - 76% and by 2040 there will be about 3.9 - 4. 7 million people, and the urbanization rate is about 80-86%. According to this trend, the agricultural production area will decrease sharply, while the number of people gradually increases, the demand for necessities, vegetables, tubers, fruits,... will also increase.

Therefore, districts need to develop appropriate and long-term urban agriculture development strategies, as well as zoning functions for agricultural production land, planning technical infrastructure systems to support urban agricultural development. It is necessary to mobilize and make use of most of urban spaces for agricultural production in order to bring high economic efficiency and provide a green living environment for people.

In addition, it is necessary to soon have policies and programs in order to develop urban agriculture that apply modern and advanced techniques to production and support people in traceability, construction brand for the product. At the same time, it is necessary to have policies to support, search and expand the market for urban agricultural products to ensure regular production and organize more space to display and introduce local products.

Mr. Bui Canh Duc - the Head of Cultivation Department (Hai Phong Sub-Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection) said that now not only in Hai Phong but also in big cities, the room for urban agriculture development is not small. Basically, people take advantage of the empty space to grow flowers, clean vegetables, fruits, spice plants,... creating a clean and green environment, urban residents themselves can experience agricultural production, eliminating inertia and inactivity.

Due to the rapidly increasing demand for urban and industrial - service development, the land fund is increasingly narrowing, leading to a change in the thinking of agricultural production, a drastic change in the structure of crops and livestock. Among many solutions, the development of urban agriculture is being considered by many big cities as a highly feasible direction to solve the related inadequacies in the process of urbanization, towards building an ecological city that is sustainable for the future.

"The important effects that urban agriculture development in a sustainable way brings are: urban agriculture contributes to reducing the cost of packaging, storing and transporting agricultural products to supply urban areas. Urban agriculture meets an important part of the demand for food, vegetables and other agricultural products directly and on the spot for urban residents instead of having to transport them from other places”. Mr. Duc shared.