Some More Inspiration in the Last Days of Your Precourse

I thought you would be interested in two projects that I came across recently.  First, in an article from my home city, Seattle, you can learn about another type of project that is encouraging urban agriculture for an interesting target group: inner city kids.  Take a look at:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015940006_startsproject19m.html

Next...

Recently we had a meeting with a very interesting company in Bangkok which helps companies (and NGO's) with their CSR projects.  The head of the company, K. Daeng, is a very interesting woman who has been in advertising and entertainment industries, but wanted to do something for better business and better life.  She started a company called Siamentis.  I'll try to have her come in and talk to us at IMBA sometime.

She showed me a campaign that her company helped design with Red Bull, for a challenge not unlike your B. 8 Precourse challenge, except that they were encouraging people to become volunteers.  You may have seen some of the TV commercials.  Take a look at one good example at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwE-kezzFr8

Since Siamentis and K. Daeng are especially expert communicators, you can get some inspiration for your presentations from the commercial (linked above, and plenty more at YouTube, if you search for Red Bull Spirit).  Take a lot at how the commercial addresses the same issues that you guys need to address: Who is the target? What is the activity that they want to encourage? How do they encourage people to do it?

Good luck with your final presentations and I'll see you on Sunday.

G7 -- Is this a dead end?

We'd like to challenge orphans to develop an urban farming model supported by the administration at the orphan home to bring about a substantial positive change in their quality of life.

We expect the orphans to come up with an idea that will create 50,000 baht a month which will be added to orphan home budget. So more money willl create substantial positive change to their well beings.

We understood orphan homes usually have budget constraint so we want them to have more money just as they are creating ways to make more money.

So can you help us analyze this? Are we seeing a dead end here? Is our challenge going to solve the problem? And the problem is orphans don't live well because orphan homes don't have a constant flow of money. And our challenge to the orphans is to ask them to do farming so they can live their lives a litter better. Are we treating them like employees (work over time so they can earn more money)? Is the problem big enough or too specific? Or are we just suggesting an idea to make money for any orgainization using urban farming activity? It seems we have a challenge -- driving people in the organization to come up with the farming related ideas to raise money. Is this just one of the solutions to make money?

Your soonest comments will be greatly appreciated

Thanks! :)
Group 7

G7 -- Orphans to urban farming for other orphanages (Are we sane?)

WE are crafting the idea of urban farming around children sphere and we need your help! We welcome your feedback and suggestions.

Are we on the right track? (Is it a challenge or a solution to some challenge)

So we have the idea of using orphans to do urban farming and give the profits/products to other orphanages. We are thinking the challenge like this could solve problem that children do have too much free time and they need a lesson like urban farming to help them manage time better while in returns, orphans are going to feel very good about their doing works for others.

We sincerely appreciate your taking time to provide your comments.

Thanks! :)

Group 7

Who will be our audience ?

Could you please tell us "Who will be our audience ?".

From high impact presentation class, we learned that before we present we should define our audience and goal. Different audiences have different need so it will be useless if what we prepare is not match what they need or they are not our target. So we think we need to know who will be our audience because it will help us to prepare presentation match with their need (such as investor need to know about profit but NGOs need to know about benefit to community).

And another question from our group2.

After we presented idea we found that our idea "easy grow veggie" has product available on market. So we think that we should change our challenge to something like further develop or to promote that product instead of create plant in can. And we will ask the producer of that product to be our partner. Can we change to the way like that?

Actual Urban Farming Challenge in Bangkok

Hi Guys,

I was listening to the radio that day came across this project food for change. It a competition for people in Bangkok to grow their own vegetable here is the link
http://food4change.in.th/index.php/สวนผักในบ้านฉันปี-3-ตอน-ไอเดียบรรเจิดในสวนผักคนเมือง.html . I roughly read through it winner get 5000 baht cash.

Interesting source

1) www.greenthaimarket.com
It is the networking among producer, consumer and also the community who is interested in green product and living sustainability.

2) The magazine named "เกษตรกรรมธรรมชาติ" by Media Center for Development Foundation.(www.pttinternet.pttplc.com/greenglobal/2551/media-03.html)

3) www.brightfarms.com
Brightfarm operates hydroponic rooftop greenhouses at grocery retailer, eliminating time, diatance, and cost from supply chain. Check out the VDO here, it will explain more how its turnkey solution works.

For group 8, this is the similar case you mentioned about rooftop on 7-11.

4) www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfVfq3IUIGM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF44p7FG2AQ
It is called Science Barge, the urban farming with innovation and technology helping planting effectively the most.

For group 8, planting on boat is cool idea, but find the suitable way and possibilty in our own way.

Open IDEO challenge

First off, I want to say that all groups did a good job of presenting their ideas. If you feel confused and unsure of what you are doing sometimes, I think this is perfectly normal. But, the more research you do, the more you talk to people, the more you wrestle with the ideas, the more insight you will get to help you decide the direction you want to go.

There are so many people around the world trying to connect people to good, safe food. Whether we like it or not, it will be a topic that will be gaining importance in our future. Urban farming is one way that people are trying to get back to understanding where their food comes from. It is a solution; not a problem. Keep that in mind when looking for the opportunities which you center your challenge around.

I like how Ajarn Ed said that this is unlike selling a product/service that people already know. This is the case in Thailand with urban farming, you will most likely be trying to provide a product/service to someone who doesn't understand it at all, so communicating your benefits to your customer will be key to get them see the value of your offer. Your job is to find the message which makes a real connection to the customer, something that matters and motivates them. Is it hard? Yes, but if it was easy then everyone would be doing it.

Take a look at the OpenIDEO challenge on below for an example of a challenge and many good ideas:

How might we better connect food production and consumption?

The Value of Urban Farming to Community

1) "Urban planting here can tell the story of homeless people that we have development and it can show our potential. Before doing urban garden here, normally people look down us like a garbage of society. Can we been developed? But now they have to change their thought, many people are interested in what we do and visit our garden as a good example for community. We planted them by ourselves , no need to pay money but can sell for money." Uncle Dum - the leader of homeless community at Bangkok noi said.


For more information, you can visit their vegetable bed at the Suvit Watnhu Homeless. 11/24 Rimtangrodfai., Jaransanitwong 37, Bangkok Noi., Bangkhunnon.,BKK. 10700.


2) Roof top vegetable garden at Jankasame University. The leader of project said that " We can utilize the space on roof top do gardening together among the colleges. Normally we do our own job and stay on the different floor, never talked much. After we have roof top garden, people would love to join and share ideas there with nature, it has been the important meeting place for us. It is more than the internal project for staff to just let them have good food because we have the real learning center to let other people learn from what we are doing and what we have been changed after doing."


People who are interested in the project can contact 02-942-6900-99 # 1701

3) "Gardening is really hobbies for older people because not only we can have good food without chemical, but also it is good exercise for us. Furthur more, it's really good for mental, we feel fresh and happy with the product from what we grows." said Sompich- The leader of vegetable garden for old people at LiKit community, Bangpleeyai moo 12

Presentation Order

The more perceptive of you will notice a small change in the presentation order in the earlier post.

Please re-check.

(Our supercomputer had a change of heart.)

Try to think beyond plants

Most of the time when we think of urban farming, we tend to think of green vegetables and fruit trees. But actually many urban farmers are looking at keeping chickens, fish, goats, turkeys and bees. Smaller farm animals are better suited to the small spaces available in the city compared to, let's say, a cow or horse. Keeping bees and chickens are exceeding popular in the US, even in New York and Chicago!

Take a look at this example from another large city in Asia. With the decline of global bee populations, raising bees in the city may be a good way to pollinate those urban farms and gardens while ensuring better security for bees and producing local honey.

Hong Kong's First Urban Beekeeper

Presentation Order

Class starts at 10 am tomorrow (July 3), to allow everyone to cast their vote for the future of the country.  Choose wisely...

Now, about the presentation order:

We have used our scientific selection process, dumping huge amounts of data into a supercomputer and letting it chug away until it came up with the following presentation order (group or team number);

6, 7, 5, 3, 2, 1, 8, 4

Some other things to keep in mind:

• In general, we will try to stay on 30-minute intervals, but we may go faster or slower, depending on each particular group.  Please be prepared ahead of time.
• You do not need to sit and listen to other teams, but you will learn a lot if you do: about urban farming, about making presentations, and about handling Q&A.
• If you are in the room, please be quiet so that we can all concentrate on the presentation.
• (In other words, if you are still working on your presentation, don't sit in the back of the room whispering...IMBA students do not whisper very quietly!  Just work outside.)
• After all presentations, we will have a final discussion about the next steps for the project; make sure you are around for that.

See you all tomorrow!

Another Challenge...

...and another chance to analyze, "Why would somebody be motivated to join this challenge?"

Think about this, as you prepare for tomorrow.

Ed

Look at the site below and try to answer the questions that I gave you:

http://www.greenchallenge.info/

Try to answer these questions:

(Again, don't assume that is Challenge is "right", just use it as an example; then, analyse it and make your own judgments.)

Decide what action do they want to encourage:

• Why should this activity be encouraged? 
• Is it big enough to be interesting and worth the effort? 
• Is it focused enough to be a success? 
• How will they measure progress or success (or winners of the Challenge)? 
• Environmental factors—focus on people! 

Who do they want to encourage to do it? (Target group)

• What will motivate them to take part in the challenge? 
• What does the target group require to be successful? 
• Who provides it? (The Challenge organizers, or somebody else, or the participants?)
• What other partners or stakeholders need to be involved? 

How does the Challenge motivate their involvement?

• Why should I do your challenge? 
• Why is it worth my time? (Personal reward) 
• How will it make things better? (Big benefit) 
• Why do I think it has at least some chance of succeeding (even if it seems very difficult)? 

Progress of Group 2 (^^;)

From building "Greener City" which is our 1st challenge we find more and more related challenges.

We are summarize our potential Ideas as Table below.

Challenges	Ideas	Target Group
1. Develop Bangkok to be Top 5 “Asian Green City” within this decade.	Products & Services Package for planting in high raised building.	• Owner of Condominium & Office Building People who live in condominium
	Building “Green Slum” and Provide jobs to poor people through Contract farming in Slums	• Government Poor People who lived in Slums
2. Available Food along the Street in Bangkok.	• Edible Park Edible Bus Stop	• Government Poor People who lived in Bangkok
3. Bangkok Alternative source of Energy	Is thinking	• Government
4. Create the plants that do not need any preparation before planting.	Canned Plant which you just open and water. And also provide Fresh Smell Bio-fertilizer.	• People who like and don’t like (or lazy) gardening. People who want to plant but have a little space.

You asked me, "What Should We Present?"

The simple answer from the other night: 3 slides/3 minutes per idea, for a maximum of 3 ideas.

I also said, "It depends," which is also always THE challenge in a business presentation.  Too much detail misses the big picture, but even people who like the "big picture" want enough detail to believe something is possible.

One skill you should develop as quickly as possible, which will help you in this project, and in many other projects in IMBA, and in business life in general: 

Look on the Internet for ideas.

For example, you can see how the Gates Foundation is presenting its ideas at: http://www.grandchallenges.org/about/Pages/Overview.aspx

Or, you can see how somebody at GE is promoting their Ecomagination Challenge at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McGUBLPVEAA&feature=related

And you can find many other examples, too.

MOST IMPORTANT: Don't assume these examples are "right."  

But, use them as guides to help you.  Look at them critically:

• What part of their message motivates you?  
• Where are numbers and data important? 
• Where is an emotional appeal working? 
• (To ask your question the other night) how much detail is the right amount of detail?

In short, when you watch, listen, or read somebody else's challenge...what works and what doesn't?

Finally...review the slides that we used to launch this project at Orientation.  There are many questions in those slides that will help guide your thinking.  You will not have complete answers for all of these questions by July 3rd, but you certainly will need to have good answers by the end of the project in August, so start trying to think forward to what those answers might be.

Here's a quick summary of the questions, if you don't have the slides handy:

Characteristics of a Good Innovation Challenge

• Impossible…almost. 
• We want to stretch the bounds of what is possible. 
• Focused. 
• Poverty. World Peace. Corruption. All valid goals, but too broad to align people to the cause. 
• Long-term (10 years+). 
• Simply stated. Clear. 
• Should require no additional explanation. 
• Emotionally charged. 
• Likely to encourage action. 
• When achieved, will create substantial positive human impact. 

Your Precourse Project: Urban Farming Innovation Challenge

To motivate a clearly defined group of people, 

…to take up a particularly innovative aspect of urban farming, 

…in order to bring about a substantial positive change of some sort. 

You are not doing the Challenge.
You are setting the Challenge.

Decide what action that you want to encourage:

• Why should this activity be encouraged? 
• Is it big enough to be interesting and worth the effort? 
• Is it focused enough to be a success? 
• How will you measure progress or success (or winners of the Challenge)? 

Environmental factors—focus on people!

• Define a challenge that is primarily limited today because people are unwilling, unaware, or uncertain about how to change their action into something new and better. 
• Avoid challenges which do not have to do with people, but which have some other primary constraint (legal prohibition, for example). 
• The Urban Farming Innovation Challenge 

Decide who you want to encourage to do it? (Target group)

• What will motivate them to take part in the challenge? 
• What does the target group require to be successful? 
• Will you provide it? 
• Will somebody else provide it? 
• Do you expect them to find a way to provide it on their own? 
• How will you communicate with them? 
• What are the right sources of information that the target group will use to hear about your Challenge? 
• The Urban Farming Innovation Challenge 

What other partners or stakeholders need to be involved?

• How will you motivate their involvement? 
• You must demonstrate at least some initial interest from them. 
• One clear, necessary partner: if you are promising a Baht 1 million first prize, you'd better have somebody willing to give that money.

Defending Your Challenge: “Ok, I’m an entrepreneurial person, looking to do something valuable and rewarding…”

• Why should I do your challenge? 
• Why is it worth my time? (Personal reward) 
• How will it make things better? (Big benefit) 
• Why do I think it has at least some chance of succeeding (even if it seems very difficult)? 

Learning Objectives

• Customers, stakeholders, target markets. 
• Marketing communication. 
• Project planning. 
• Understanding the entrepreneurial mindset. 
• Business/marketing research. 
• …all while stretching you to Think Bigger! 

G7 -- Urban farming to school curriculum

First Idea! – Urban farming to school curriculum

We recognize an opportunity for promoting urban farming idea in child development. Some people say you cannot teach an old dog new tricks – let’s just call a new habit to mothering consumable plants in a small space or urban farming for children!

We think children are suitable targets where we can teach them these important green values (both planting and cashing). Children are change makers. They really are. Any household would go for anything from having new pet, paint new color in some of the rooms to accommodate child’s activities, or even urban farming should the children want it to. This is why we are convinced promoting it to children will leverage significant impact. Mathematically speaking, 1 child can change a family of 3 people to do urban farming.

Some schools already have a similar curriculum in the program. We think it fails to create sustain momentum or no impact. How do we know? Because most of us at some point in time had been taught home economics and simple farming techniques. But we had not extended these applications later on and so committed to even more greener areas in our lives. Therefore, we should take this opportunity to put a serious use to business practices and continue to provide the supports for anyone interested.

Let’s start from a child play. The curriculum we aimed to promote is to integrate home economics and urban farming's know-how to hobbies. Children should not only learn to grow plants but also learn to do simple home economics. That means they will derive the idea of market space and trades with their neighbors. And we are confident to give them the supports they need to be successful traders of home grown farming products. We are committed to connect people, authorities and agencies both from government related and the private sectors to support them. We believe it is a must to start building the idea and nurture the child’s activity in order to create sustain momentum. We need and as our tasks grow we must promote urban farming to today children’s activities so that one day we can live to see it grow larger to enterprise businesses and their supporting activities should also grow as well. We must act responsibly and accordingly to build the future of greener environment. We believe we can and many more will give us the supports and our today children can see a greener future – rich with supportive incomes and conservative. This is why we must all act today.

Idea #1 from Group 5

Our first idea for the challenge is for 3 high schools (or more) in the same area to compete with each other by planting crops in their rooftop buildings. Every school will have the same size of land to work with and they will have a selection of crops to grow. Each school will have to sell the plants to get the most money possible within a specific time period (3-4 months) to win the competition. A valuable gardening experience that is rarely seen from the youth in these days will be learnt along with the business aspect of planting what will generate the most profit from the specified constraints. All school will have the same single crop selling location in order to avoid too much price differentiation and the teacher in each school will keep track of the sales records. The final sales could be held and announced the winner at Kaset Fair (Kasetsart U). Hopefully, we can convince PTT or SCG to sponsor the event to create enough attention for high schools to accept this challenge. It has been known that PTT and SCG are very environmental conscious with the growing mangrove forest projects and etc. The prize will be all the money from each school sales combined plus the sponsor's money.

In order to create long-term impact, the land will continue to be used as garden with the care of students and faculties once the competition is over. Supplying school grown vegetables will ensure the health of the students as well as cutting some expenses. The same competition can be held next year if the schools are still interested to do so.

Idea by team 4

After discussion, our team think the main purpose for the urban farming is people, we shall think more about people, care about people,based upon people need. so all our ideas are for people, either for 5-9 years old primary school children or rich elder, family life either for decoration purpose or waste treatment purpose, either people living in better condition or living in slum. we are not imaging huge picture, we are thinking practical and people-concerned.

Idea 1: utilize food waste for urban farming or urban garden

food waste is around 30% of total solid waste weight, and water content in the waste is quite difficulty for treatment and @high cost. we could separate the food waste from our normal solid waste, and ferment to be the fertilizer for urban farming and garden.

Idea 2: planting for decoration and mind peace

Target Group: working people who are stressful and seeking for the Peace of mind.

Idea 3: promote the urban farming in slum or low-income community

organize the urban farming in slum and low-income community in the purpose providing more green and vegetable or fruit

Idea 4: encourage urban farming in the city by elder

Target: rich and retired people

Idea 5: combine the kid education and indoor farming

we target the family having 5-8 yrs old children. children could experience the whole process of planting: seed--grow--flowering--fruit. it will be a process of moral practice, such as patient, care about others, effort-putting vs outcome...

We will present all the details and explain more on the presentation.

Idea by Group 3

Now we have 2 challenges which we think that this may change Bangkok Become Green City.

1) Our first challenge based on the student in school by setting a campaign named "DIY Farming in Campus". Since, we believe that we have to solve the problem focusing on the foundation of society Our target group will be Bangkok student in Matthayom 1-3 and let them join the competition to do farming in school, and the criteria of judgement will be the idea presentation about how can they utilize their products from school farming. The key player will be some NGOs who concern about Green City.

2) The 2nd one, we think about to use social network as a gateway to people. It was named " FarmVille for Real". We got an inspiration from the game in facebook. In this time, the celebrities will be our key player to be Farming Idol. We will invite people to do farming in their area. Then, they take photos, posts to our webpage. The criteria will the number of "Like", who get the most "Like" will be a winner to meet and greet with the celebrity to do urban farming together somewhere in Bangkok.

Ideas from group 1

Our three proposed ideas come from three different groups which are 1) school children, 2) Listed companies, and 3) Thai Cooperative.

Firstly, school children has to be fostered to understand what benefits and values if they do something to environment. In addition, there are many schools in urban areas which may create a large impact. Also, we come up with activity that Ministry of Education can be a host of competition to let schools send their representative to share creative ideas about urban farming at your school and compete with other teams. To monitor the progress and let this activity to be more enjoyable, we have a plan called "school bus" that we will contact a famous actors, actresses, or singers to visit school to observe what they did and match with idea presentation.

Secondly, listed companies are to be our choice since those profit organizations should pay something back to society. Now, we can see a lot of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) that most of companies use this as a tool to promote their marketing. We seek this opportunities (win-win situation) to promote our project. Based on the number of people involve to SET, there are a lot of impact and urban farming can be quickly spreaded out to our society. The activity is like "one-day activity". After that SET can be a host to sell all products from this activity and bring those money to help other people.

Lastly, Thai Cooperative is our selected target group as well. If you look at the structure of cooperative, there are a variety of people to join the group. In addition, we know that the member has to collect the point when buying goods to exchange with some products. With this idea, we can contact "Cooperative Promotion Department" to help us to encourage the members to do urban farming and bring their product or by-product to sell. Moreover, we can do a campaign by giving them a special point in order to be attractive, so they can have both income from selling product and earning special point.

Our inspiration idea (Group 8)

Our ideas

1.From our point of view, we see a lot of unused land in Bangkok. We seek the ways to make it more valuable. Therefore, we would like to turn unused land into "City Garden Farm". Our target area is area under express way. For example, Makasan area, it is such a big vacant lot in the heart of Bangkok. We found it might be fruitful to promote this area as "Urban Farming Project".

2.Bangkok is located beside the Chaopraya River. We think it might be beneficial to promote idea of "Floating Urban Farm"amongst river-side residents.

3. 7-11 makes us amazed how can they expand their branches rapidly. so if we can promote our project to be a part of 7-11 which could be powerful tool to launch our project. Our idea is to plant various vegetables and fruits on the top roof of every branches 7-11 or CP fresh mart. Besides production, we will also have a channel for distribution to 7-11 or CP fresh mart.

4. From debate at Hua Hin, many groups were concerned about the quality of food from this project. It might be contaminated with pollutions in Bangkok. Presently price of fuel is soaring. Therefore, we found the more effective alternative way of proposing to plant energy crops such as palm tree, corn, sugar cane, cassava etc. on street isle or other unused land in Bangkok.

We are thinking about "green city" : Group 2

The Asian Green City Index examines the environmental performance of 22 major Asian cities in eight categories: energy and CO2, land use and buildings, transport, waste, water, sanitation, air quality and environmental governance

.

More Details : http://www.siemens.co.th/iportal/press/Release/110214.asp

9 Days Left Until Ideas Presentations

Let's get some conversations going on this blog about the Challenges you are thinking about, so we have some great ideas to show our judges.

A Note About My Comments

Some issues I will address as a new post.  However, many direct questions I will answer as "comments" to a particular blog posting.  I believe all authors get a notification from Blogger whenever somebody comments about their post.

It is then the Author's responsibility to make sure the rest of the team is aware that a comment has been posted about a relevant post.

Everyone can see all of the comments, but if a comment is made from an earlier post, you may miss it if the Author does not alert you.

Authors be aware of your duty!

Making Progress

I'm back in Thailand, and out of China, which does not seem to like Blogger.  In fact, any website that I tried to access during the trip that used blogs (even a sports blog from my home town in the US) got blocked.  You get a real understanding about how strict China is about controlling information.

During the last few days, it looks like all of the remaining Authors have notified me, and all of you should now have an invitation.

I received an interesting question from one group, which I wanted to share:

Anyway, I have a quick question for contributor..  We will have a presentation about 3 challenge activities. Do we need to share those ideas to blogger?  If yes, it means that the first group who posts the idea will have a copyright right? 

This question represents a valid concern, when establishing an "open source" innovation environment.  Later in your time at IMBA we will discuss this in detail (in a class that I will teach next year), so I won't go over the entire discussion in this blog.

A simple answer to the question is, "Yes, the team that proposes an idea first, get the 'rights', or copyright, in this student's terminology.

However, there is a more powerful force at work in open innovation environments: all ideas get better.  When you focus on one idea, without the benefit of seeing others, you don't necessarily improve your own idea.  Your mind focuses narrowly on the idea, and after a while you are unable to think of anything new.

Being exposed to new ideas--even for a particular project--keeps your mind fresh.  Your ideas get better, along with everyone else's.

And since there are plenty of great opportunities in the World, no one needs to worry about missing the one "Best Idea."  There isn't one, single Best Idea.  There are lots of ideas, which, in the hands of a good team, can be turned into great opportunities.

So, view sharing as an innovation opportunity, rather than giving up valuable secrets.

Ed

some unclear about Urban Farming Project from Group 4

Dear Aj Ed,

Here post what Pinky asked:

we are still a bit confused and not sure that we understand your requirement correctly. Please suggest :)

1) You need us to set up a challenge for other people to apply it, right?
Is it something like 'Banpu Champion for Change' competition?

2) Our challenge needs to be long-term (10 year up)? If we set the period for 3 years, is it okay?

3) On July 3, besides the challenge statement, what else do we have to present?

In Progress by Group3

What we are heading is to apply what we learn tonight about setting our objective for our challenge. By following Aj Joy, the target seem to be clearer. Then, flowing question is splitting out soon. The secondary research will be done first as a reference for idea presentation and then the qualitative interview is coming soon.

For the idea presentation, we still need any guideline.

Some interesting article from Team 6

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/04/organics.food - Interesting article regarding Urban farming in undeveloped country (Cuba) for this case.

Another two articles:
http://www.ruaf.org/node/512
http://www.ruaf.org/node/513

Urban Farming in Developing Countries

Hi Batch 8,

I just want to share this post present a different perspective on the benefits provided by urban farming. While urban agriculture can be viewed as a money making venture, it also provides opportunities for socially and environmentally-minded ventures. Many proponents of urban farming and urban community gardens also see urban agriculture as a way to sustainable, local economies by strengthening people's awareness of locally produced food while building a feeling of community.

I leave it for you to ponder: Big Problem = Big Opportunity.

~ Joanne

Why the Developing World Needs More Urban Farmers

These days, it seems, it's all about "local" food. Every weekend across America, throngs of the upper-middle class storm farmer's markets. In Washington, D.C., Michelle Obama has revived the "victory garden," prompting many to start (or consider starting) growing their own food. And many, including Change.org's Katherine Gustafson, have expounded the virtues of urban agriculture for poverty alleviation, education, and health in America's inner cities.

Now, it's high time the hype moved to the global South -- especially to the growing megacities of Asia and Africa.

For the first time in history, the majority of the world population will soon live in urban (as opposed to rural) areas. In the developing world, the breakneck rate of urban growth far exceeds cities' abilities to produce employment, adequate housing, infrastructure, or basic services for its new residents. Meanwhile, food security is becoming an even greater concern, and you don't have to look far to see why. The best agricultural land in many countries is being reserved for the production of overseas-bound cash crops like coffee and soy beans (or in some cases, sold to foreigners outright). Increasing numbers of subsistence farmers are moving off their land and into squalid urban slums. Traditional diets are being replaced with corn and Coca-Cola.

Urban farming isn't just a Western buzz phrase. Across huge swaths of Asia and Africa, it has not only has to potential to promote food security and income generation -- it also can contribute to better health and sanitation. For example, pathogen-filled waste that normally gets dumped into open sewers and pathways can be composted and used as organic fertilizer. Malnutrition can be minimized with access to fresh and nutrient-rich vegetables. As for income generation, even small growing containers like the Earth Box can produce enough veggies to be harvested and sold to others.

In places like Nairobi, Kenya, small community-based organizations like the Kibera Youth Reform Group are bringing healthy food, employment and opportunity to one of the worst slums in Africa. With the help of Green Dreams (the first locally certified organic farm in Kenya), the 70-member youth group has turned a 3-meter deep garbage dump in Kibera into a working organic farm. "The success of the farm is now being looked upon as an interesting solution to urban food security and as a role model farm," one that's being used as a model by a number of youth groups in other slums, says Su Kahumbu, the Founder of Green Dreams, Ltd.

While buying locally raised beef from my farmer's market and supporting a Detroit-based urban gardening project certainly helps to appease my middle-class, overly consumptive and guilty conscience (while bringing marginal change to the global food system), urban agriculture in the developing world can offer something far better: the real potential to increase food security, reduce poverty and bring health and sanitation to the urban slum.

Photo Credit: Sbocaj

Kate Darlington graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a degree in International Political Economy. Recently, she worked for the Indigenous Fisher Peoples Network in Kenya.

Source : Change.org New article by Kate Darlington March 4, 2010

Some Other Links from Aspiring Urban Farmer, Joanne IMBA #5

Food Prices Soar: Article + VDO
http://absolutelybangkok.com/food-prices-soar/ Sept 1, 2010

Food Prices on the rise in Thailand
http://thaifinancialpost.com/2011/01/23/food-prices-on-the-rise-in-thailand/

Thai Food Crisis an Opportunity: How entrepreneurs can recognize these trends to see opportunities
http://www.businessreportthailand.com/thai-food-crisis-opportunity-kasikorn-12680


Other Projects:
หนึ่งวันเดียวกัน_สวนดาดฟ้า_1/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGnD-70UoZI&feature=BFa&list=LLDFAlyfLwGPc&index=9
Laksi Rooftop Gardens I visited and talked to this lady last week. Very inspiring!!

Vegetables for City People Project, run at a local kindegarten:
2a. สวนผักคนเมืองศูนย์เด็กเล็ก http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S57iindoqeA&feature=BFa&list=LLDFAlyfLwGPc&index=10

2b. สรุปโครงการสวนผักตอนที่2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H3c9Au4q-4&feature=BFa&list=LLDFAlyfLwGPc&index=11

Getting Launched

Here are some of the resources that we suggested for you when we first introduced the Urban Farming Challenge. You should find a lot more than just these, of course!

Learn About Urban Farming With NYC Non-Profit Added Value (4.36)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5LeqGNKQRQ

Urban Farming: Hydroponics in the City (5.50)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqcBCcSLDlo&feature=autoplay&list=PL6E89DC1F1614613E&index=17&playnext=2

Urban Farming Grows Up (3.30)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Scs2SIeIkkM&playnext=1&list=PL6E89DC1F1614613E

Suburban Homesteading Edible Victory Garden Edible Estate on 1/10th of an Acre (8.49)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX-rL2-KgP4&feature=related