Potential And Need of Urban Horticulture for A Sustainable Future

The new concept Urban Horticulture which enforces growing family sufficient food in urban and peri urban areas is gaining importance nowadays. Traditionally, crop cultivation and food security was mainly confined to rural areas of the world. But dynamics are changing with developing world around us. Urban environment also known as a ‘built-up’ region, is an area with high population density along with modernized infrastructure created by urbanization. As Urbanism is completely in contrast to the natural environment, plants grown and cultivated in such a condition also experience altered growing conditions. Environmental factors affecting urban farming can be divided into the following sub-factors 1.) Soil contamination 2.) Micro-climate alteration and air pollution 3.) Contaminated water resources. World population will reach up to 9.6 billion by 2050 and 70% of which is assumed to be residing in urban communities and in 2030 India’s 600 million population will be urbanized. Cuba is the only country that has developed an extensive state-supported infrastructure to support urban food production and urban growers with 12% of the country’s urban area is under cultivation. Urban horticulture can be: intensive horticulture, plant nurseries, community gardens, macro-mini gardens, Terrace Gardening, Vegetable Gardening, Balcony Gardening, Green Parks, Guerilla Gardening, Allotment Gardens and Community Gardens. UH impacts city environmentally and socio-economically; thus, appropriate guidelines on urban and peri urban agricultural practices are required for proper understanding.