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Does urban agriculture use less chemicals than conventional farming ?
Urban agriculture is often associated with the production of organic, healthy and locally grown food, in contrast to larger scale forms of industrial agriculture which usually demand more intensive approaches. Many of the participants in urban farming and community gardening also have a particular interest in food quality and healthy living. Urban farms have therefore tended to emphasise approaches which rely less upon chemical pesticides and fertilisers.
In addition, due to the controlled conditions involved, urban farming systems such as vertical farming and aquaponics do not have the same requirement for use of pesticides as conventional agriculture. These systems, however, are generally more suitable for certain types of higher value crops which are high in vitamins - particularly leafy greens such as salads and watercress. However, vertical farming can be rather resource intensive, requiring high levels of energy inputs, particularly for lighting and also for the supply of nutrients.
