The world’s largest urban farm is set to open on a Parisian rooftop in the spring of 2020, establishing itself as a promising model for sustainable production.

Sitting atop a six-storey building in the south-west of Paris, the 14,000 square metre farm is expected to grow more than 30 different plant species, producing around 1000kg of fruit and vegetables daily in peak season. Using entirely organic methods, the farm will help foster local biodiversity while reducing food miles by supplying locals with fresh produce year-round.

Currently under construction by urban farm company Agropolis, the farm is expected to start making a profit within its first year of operation. 

“If we can create a model that is commercially viable… that will help urban farms to become sustainable in their own right,” Agropolis founder Pascal Hardy told The Guardian.

“Our guiding principle with all our farms is to help foster environmental and economic resilience in tomorrow’s cities." 

Urban farming is gaining renewed attention for its social, health, environmental and economic benefits, with the City of Paris committing to planting 100 hectares of vegetation across the capital as part of its Parisculteurs project, one third of which is devoted to urban agriculture.

With 68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, urban farming has great potential in combatting food insecurity and helping to feed tomorrow’s cities while reducing the carbon footprint of the agriculture industry.

“Our vision is a city in which flat roofs and abandoned surfaces are covered with these new growing systems,” says Hardy. “Each will contribute directly to feeding urban residents who today represent the bulk of the world’s population.”

 

Positive Action

• Interested in starting your own urban garden? Visit the Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network for tips or where to find a community garden near you.
• To learn more about the benefits of green spaces in urban areas, check out Planet Ark’s 2019 National Tree Day report, Living Cities: Trees in the Urban Environment.

 

Subscribe to Positive Environment News
Positive Environment News has been compiled using publicly available information. Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.