Innovations – OLD
The food system’s decreasing ability to deliver food security has led to the emergence of food assistance initiatives. Food assistance is highly contested; as some argue, it is a “failure of the state”, while others regard food assistance to be an “extension of the welfare state”. Either way, research suggests that actors within food assistance are rethinking their role in the food system. In this paper, we study three food assistance initiatives, in the Netherlands, Italy and Ireland, that perform new food assistance practices while embedded in specific institutional contexts, and analyse their potential to transform the food system, drawing on Transformative Social Innovation theory. Building on transition and social innovation theory, this recently developed theory distinguishes different levels within systems, named “shades of change”, that are associated with societal transformation. By exploring these “shades” of change in the analysis, we describe aspects of the initiatives’ novel practices, and in relation to the initiative and institutional relations their motivations and expectations. We compare the three cases and discuss how food assistance practices relate to and change (or do not change) the food system. In particular, we elaborate on how these three food assistance initiatives contribute in various ways to local food and welfare system innovation. In doing so, we offer a novel perspective on food assistance initiatives. We argue that they show dynamics that have the potential for more substantial transformation towards food security over time, by building momentum through “small wins”.
Urban agriculture is undergoing a contemporary global renaissance, providing fresh food for growing urban populations and vital environmental benefits for cities. Despite urban agriculture’s social-environmental importance, a rural bias in agricultural research has left critical gaps in our understanding of how urban agroecosystem management can sustainably produce food in the future. Specifically, there is a need to study urban agriculture water management due to recent drought events, likely increases in urban water scarcity, and higher temperatures. Gardeners can play a decisive role in increasing urban agriculture’s sustainability through their water, soil, and vegetation management. Here, we examined water use, vegetation, and soil management in the California Central Coast—a region facing drought—to better understand how urban agriculture management affects water use sustainability. We worked with gardeners to study their water management decisions using citizen science, where volunteer gardeners collected their own water use behavior data and participated in a survey to describe their behaviors around water use, water conservation, and plot level management. We found that water use varies by gardener, and water use is positively related to mulching and crop cover in plots. Contrary to expectations, gardeners that reported high levels of concern over current environmental conditions (drought) and water conservation in the survey tended to use high amounts of water, suggesting that environmental worldviews do not necessarily translate into everyday practices. On the other hand, gardeners in gardens with more rules and regulations around water use tended to use less water, highlighting the practicality of enforcing rules and regulations during drought periods. Gardeners reported interest in adapting gardening practices to more sustainably use water regardless of their current practices. The combination of education and rules and regulations will help improve the sustainability of garden systems in times of environmental change.
Cities are losing green space driving an extinction of nature experiences for urban communities. Incremental green space loss can trigger a ratcheting-down effect where individuals’ expectations of nature continually decrease through time. This loss of everyday nature experiences may produce a citizenry with reduced knowledge and appreciation of biodiversity and the environment. In this review, we examine how urban gardens, as urban spaces that bring people into close contact with nature in an otherwise built environment, can combat this ratcheting-down effect by encouraging interactions and knowledge of nature. We review three ways urban gardens may engender greater biophilia: (1) the provision of natural elements to expose urban dwellers to the diversity of plants, animals, and soils that they would otherwise not encounter in their daily life; (2) fostering a greater understanding of natural processes that affect food production (e.g., climate processes, pest control, pollination) and thus the natural world; and (3) the provision of a safe space in which humans can corporeally interact with nature elements to develop greater fascination with nature. Thus, urban gardens can engender biophilia for their participants by increasing exposure, positive interactions, and knowledge of nature, potentially changing people’s attitudes to nature. We present examples from a variety of urban gardens to show how these spaces can be designed using biophilic thinking to enhance people’s everyday nature experiences and their drive to interact with the natural world
Cities have emerged as leaders in food system innovation and transformation, but their potential can be limited by the absence of supportive governance arrangements. This study examined the value of Food Growing Schools London (FGSL) as a programme seeking city-wide change through focusing on one dimension of the food system. Mixed methods case study research sought to identify high-level success factors and challenges. Findings demonstrate FGSL’s success in promoting food growing by connecting and amplifying formerly isolated activities. Schools valued the programme’s expertise and networking opportunities, whilst strategic engagement facilitated new partnerships linking food growing to other policy priorities. Challenges included food growing’s marginality amongst priorities that direct school and borough activity. Progress depended on support from individual local actors so varied across the city. London-wide progress was limited by the absence of policy levers at the city level. Experience from FGSL highlights how city food strategies remain constrained by national policy contexts, but suggests they may gain traction through focusing on well-delineated, straightforward activities that hold public appeal. Sustainability outcomes might then be extended through a staged approach using this as a platform from which to address other food issues.
Urban agriculture is undergoing a contemporary global renaissance, providing fresh food for growing urban populations and vital environmental benefits for cities. Despite urban agriculture’s social-environmental importance, a rural bias in agricultural research has left critical gaps in our understanding of how urban agroecosystem management can sustainably produce food in the future. Specifically, there is a need to study urban agriculture water management due to recent drought events, likely increases in urban water scarcity, and higher temperatures. Gardeners can play a decisive role in increasing urban agriculture’s sustainability through their water, soil, and vegetation management. Here, we examined water use, vegetation, and soil management in the California Central Coast—a region facing drought—to better understand how urban agriculture management affects water use sustainability. We worked with gardeners to study their water management decisions using citizen science, where volunteer gardeners collected their own water use behavior data and participated in a survey to describe their behaviors around water use, water conservation, and plot level management. We found that water use varies by gardener, and water use is positively related to mulching and crop cover in plots. Contrary to expectations, gardeners that reported high levels of concern over current environmental conditions (drought) and water conservation in the survey tended to use high amounts of water, suggesting that environmental worldviews do not necessarily translate into everyday practices. On the other hand, gardeners in gardens with more rules and regulations around water use tended to use less water, highlighting the practicality of enforcing rules and regulations during drought periods. Gardeners reported interest in adapting gardening practices to more sustainably use water regardless of their current practices. The combination of education and rules and regulations will help improve the sustainability of garden systems in times of environmental change.
Kumar, R., Yadav, S., Kumar, M., Kumar, J., & Kumar, M. (2020). Artificial Intelligence: New Technology to Improve Indian Agriculture. International Journal of Chemical Studies, 8(2), 2999–3005. https://doi.org/10.22271/chemi.2020.v8.i2at.9208
Agriculture is the largest livelihood provider in India hence sustainable agriculture practices should be adopted to reduce food scarcity. Though agriculture, being the least digitized sector, has seen momentum for the development and commercialization of agricultural technologies in the recent times. The digital technology can play a transformational role in modernizing and organizing how India performs its agricultural activities. There is an immense potential for artificial intelligence in agriculture in India. It is difficult for farmers to predict weather patterns or crop yields accurately, making it hard for them to make informed financial and operational decisions. Smart farming in India has helped increase crop yield by as much as 30%. Microsoft India in collaboration with International Crops Research Institute for Semi- Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has developed a sowing application for farmers combined with a personalized village advisory dashboard for Andhra Pradesh. The app is able to use weather models and data on local crop yield and rainfall to more accurately predict and advise local farmers on when they should plant their seeds. It is developed to provide powerful cloud-based predictive analytics to empower farmers with crucial information and insights to help reduce crop failure and increase yield, in turn, reducing stress and generating better income. It advises farmers on the best time to sow crops depending on weather conditions, soil and other indicators. The technology used helps to increase the value of data by converting it into readily actionable forms.
Future Farms: Leaf Station Farm. Food Farms Agro Technologies Private Limited [Internet]; 2018. [cited 2020 Aug 29]. Available from: https://www.futurefarms.in/leaf-station-farm/
Sustainable farming solutions in India with arid climates have caused an increased interest in hydroponic farms, which are farms that practice growing plants without soil in a nutrient rich water solution. This practice of agriculture resolves many of the issues that challenge year-round growing like availability of fertile soil or clean and surplus water. Leaf station farm is designed to include all the components required for commercial clean food production, and engineered for seamless operation, allowing growers to immediately start growing. This flatbed farm encourages uniform growth, colour, size and appearance with a focus on delivering consistent light to the plants. Its modular and ergonomic design ensures efficient harvesting and easy scalability. It uses a technique called NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)- Flat Bed which occurs by running a thin layer of water through channels and ensures the plant receives the required water while leaving the roots well aerated.
Key features:
- 90% water saving and enables reuse of water
- Requires no soil along with more yield per acre
- More cycles per year as well as greater control of nutrients to prevent over nourished crops
- Zero pesticides in addition to ease of food safety controls
- Less labour including ease of harvesting
- Complete farm automation furthermore increases food production stability
- Auto dosing plus Fertigation
- Low maintenance