You may have heard before about this “new wave” of urban agriculture–vertical farming, rooftop gardens, aquaponics–but what really is it, and why is it important? The name itself is pretty self-explanatory, but the topic is a complex and exciting one. Urban agriculture is in essence the production and distribution of food within a city environment.

But why does it matter if it’s in a city or not? Well, it is a much more sustainable option, because it reduces the environmental costs of shipping in food from distant places. As discussed a few episodes back, the transportation industry takes a big toll on the planet–and transporting food takes part in this. If food is grown locally, on the other hand, people can enjoy it while saving energy. And, they allow us to see exactly how our food is being made, so the production is typically more eco-friendly. Urban agriculture can also lessen the impact of the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect causes cities to trap more heat as a result of dark pavements and buildings. This can be detrimental in the summertime, as heat related deaths and injuries increase and climate change gets worsened. Urban gardens and agriculture add greenery to these spaces, and thus cools them down. They can also clean the air of pollutants, and they provide extra habitat for animals, and therefore bring in biodiversity.

On top of environmental benefits, there are other benefits as well. Urban agriculture is beneficial to the economy because it brings in jobs and increases tourism. It also has proven to majorly improve the wellbeing of the individuals within a community. They allow for community togetherness, and they beautify the area. And they help to ensure food security. Members of low-income neighborhoods often have reduced access to healthy food as a result of race and class issues. Urban agriculture can be a source of quality food for these communities.

It doesn’t just come in one form, though. There are city farms, which are plots of agricultural land. These usually get help run by the community and utilize volunteer labor in order to run. Then there’s vertical farming, which draws its main benefits from the efficiency of land. Greenhouses allow farmers to grow crops year round, and urban beekeeping helps bees, which are very ecologically important, survive. Aquaponics is a form of farming in which fish and vegetables can both be raised sustainably. The nutrient-rich fish water gets used to fertilize the soil, and the plants purify the water for the fish.

In essence, there are many ways urban agriculture can be implemented, all with their benefits and drawbacks, but if done successfully, it can be a significant asset to the environment and to communities.