About Food Green City

Globally, the urban population is increasing rapidly to 55% and is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. This rapid population increase will take place mainly in developing countries, so proper planning and management is essential for sustainable urban development.

There is a huge demand of food supply for urban inhabitants due to the increasing trend of urbanization. The current food system in the cities cannot meet the growing food demand sustainably. With urbanization, food insecurity issues arise and modern urban agriculture systems could be a means to decrease food supply risks. Urban agriculture can play a valuable role in sustainable food systems with environmental, social, economic and health benefits. So, the national and local governments need to become more strategic in responding to the challenges and opportunities posed by rapid urbanization by formulating a national urbanization strategy and better coordinated actions by all the stakeholders involved including the private sector.

The advancement of urban agriculture can help to manage urban food production, promote greeneries, and facilitate waste management by properly maintaining public health. The local production and use of seasonal foods help to meet the food demand of seasonal products in short supply chain and improve resource efficiency by decreasing the waste or loss of food produced for human consumption that will help to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 11) of cities and communities. For urban areas to produce food itself to some extent and maintain greenery, the concept of Food Green City (FGC) is realized i.e., by integrating urban agriculture with urban planning for addressing socio-economic and environmental issues. It can also improve the quality of local food products that are without pesticides, seasonal, fresh, prevent waste and are delivered in a more sustainable and less carbon intensive way.

The green roof technologies have gained popularity fulfilling the demand of fresh healthy organic food to the city dwellers due to COVID-19 pandemic keeping natural green environment improving air quality. So, food green city approaches are being realized using various methods of urban horticulture practices like utilizing barren lands of city gardens, parks, roadsides, roof tops and balconies along with modern soil less vertical farming like aquaponics, hydroponics and aeroponics. These approaches shorten the food supply chain fulfilling the food demand in cities and improving environmental quality by consuming less energy and resources. It generates the entrepreneurship among the youths and beautifies the cities by conserving landscapes. Green spaces are also imperious for improving mental and physical health of the urban population.

The eight guiding PLEASURE principles of FGC are:

1. Plenty of Food Green Space (Urban Productive Greening),

 2. Living and Working Together,

3. Ensuring minimum consumption of resources,

 4. Attaining sustainable neighborhood,

5. System of 3 Bs (Boot, Bike & Bus),

6. Use of energy efficiency and eco-friendly technologies,

7. Restructuring the cities through Community Participation and

8. Efforts for Zero Waste Emission

Initiation of Food Green City Program

Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), an apex body of S&T to promote and enhance Science and Technology in Nepal has initiated “Food Green City” program in collaboration with the local governments aiming to produce food locally and maintain greenery in the urban areas. This initiation is an effort of the academy for achieving its motto “Science for Society and Innovation for Prosperity” by implementing applicability of its research findings in the community level and providing demand based technical supports.

Under this program, five different specific programs have been started such as: 1.Community level Cultivation, utilization, long term preservation and value addition of the products; 2. Promotion of modern soilless vertical farming techniques (Hydroponic and Aquaponic systems) in the schools by formulating nutrient solutions in-house; 3. Creation of Food Green Park/Nagarik Khadya Ban (Civil Food Forest) by planting the edible flowers and fruit trees; 4. Establishment of Falfool Marg (Fruits corridor) by planting trees of edible flowers and fruits developing tree-lined avenue and 5. Advancement of Household agriculture/ Rooftop garden by planting edible flowers, fruits and herbs with vertical soilless systems. The programs target advancing the urban agriculture that ultimately strengthen urban food production system while promoting greeneries and facilitating waste management by properly maintaining the public health. The local production and use of seasonal foods also help to meet the food demand of seasonal products in short supply chain and improve resource efficiency by decreasing the waste or loss of food produced for human consumption.

Till now, the Academy has collaboration with 16 different Municipalities (4 metropolitan cities) from seven different Provinces. This collaborative approach is expected to set the pillars of food green city for better land use with extensive greenery, energy efficient technologies, food security and socio-economic growth integrating modern organic farming systems and improving traditional local technologies. In the other hand, this will also generate entrepreneurships and employment opportunities. For the success and sustainability of this approach, the national and local governments need to become more strategic in responding to the challenges and opportunities posed by rapid urbanization and formulate a national urbanization strategy incorporating the concept of "Food Green City" with better coordinated actions of all the stakeholders involved including the private sector.