What Happened?
Urban farmers in Accra, Ghana, are leveraging wastewater as a means to irrigate their crops when access to fresh water is limited in the region.
So What?
Accra’s innovative strategies to sustain urban farming efforts in a resource-deprived city were studied as part of a report put together by the United Nations Habitat project and the International Resource Panel. Farmers in the city are unable to access the fresh water supply pipeline without paying a fee, as supplies are struggling to keep pace with the growing population. As a result, farmers are filtering water out of waste streams to sustain their crops. The creative solution to low water accessibility is boosting economic growth and strengthening the city’s development.
While the obvious benefit of filtering waste water has been realized by farmers, researchers identified other perks of the practice include:
- Enabling polluted water to be reused in the city
- Transforming outputs into inputs to help increase access to valuable resources for all income levels
- Strengthening and economic base in urban farming
As a result of the waste water filtration initiatives, several international nongovernmental organizations are working with urban farmers, providing training and education on how to reduce contamination. As filtration best practices are development, the use of the techniques can be expanded throughout the region.
Obstacles To Overcome
While Accra’s farming community continues to blossom, urban growth is also increasing and encroaching onto farmland. The local government plays a key role in the selection of what land will be used for new developments, making it important for consistent policymaking to be in place to preserve farming opportunities. Farmers are struggling with limited access to financial support to expand waste water filtration practices. The regulation surrounding municipal solid waste disposal is also lacking enforcement, making it difficult to ensure the waste water is not contaminated after filtration.
Potential Outcomes
If Accra and other similar communities nurture the practice of waste water filtration the demand for clean water pipelines will drop and resources will be more accessible. The use of chemical fertilizers may decline, and the chance of water contamination will be lowered with increased practice. The local community will be supported by urban agriculture, making food prices more affordable and economic activity strong.
Rooftop Farms
Just as Accra is experiencing encroachment on farmland as a result of urban growth, many farmers in big cities are struggling to find land to grow crops. As a result, many farmers are looking to building rooftops to plant seeds and support sustainable growth. Major cities including New York City, London, Singapore, Berlin and Chicago are developing extensive networks of urban rooftop farmers producing locally grown fruits and vegetables to sell to citizens. Making the land and crops easily accessible within city limits, rooftop gardens reduce greenhouse gas emissions while equipping the community with greater access to fresh produce at affordable prices. The latest technologies are helping urban farmers monitor weather conditions to grow plants in optimal seasons and protect them from severe fluctuations.
Sustainability In Bloom
Gov1 has tracked other energy efficiency projects that help cities become self-sufficient and are funded by a variety of public and private initiatives.[/dw-post-more]