Recent orders
Urban Farming
Urban Farming
Name
Institution
Urban Farming
Urban farming is the cultivation of crops and rearing of animals around or in cities. It involves integration of farming into urban ecological and economic systems as opposed to rural farming that occurs entirely in farms away from cities. It also utilizes urban resources including labor, water and compost where urban residents, wastewater and organic waste serve the roles respectively. Urban farming also targets consumers in the urban areas; has both beneficial and harmful effects on the food system; competes for space with other urban activities, and urban plans and policies affect it in one way or the other (Boland, 2005).
Urban farming is carried out in various places where land is available including in the city or intra-urban, and its outskirts or peri-urban. The areas can either be on-plot meaning that farming occurs in the homestead or off-plot where farming is done away from residential areas. Farming is also practiced on public land, which includes conservation areas, parks, riverside, along railways and roads, and on private land, which includes either leased or owned land. Semi-public land includes hospital and school grounds or playing fields. Mainly, residents in the lower and mid-levels of income practice urban farming, but some few affluent residents may venture into it as a form of investment. A majority of those in urban farming is women because the activity easily fits into their daily household chores. However, residents with demanding careers such as those involving travel and long working hours may not thrive in urban farming. Farmers in urban farming include small and middle-level farms, groups, cooperatives, individuals, and commercial enterprises. The level of technology applied in urban farming has not been advanced since the scale of production is low, but there are future prospects to advance with increased production (Boland, 2005).
The main food products of urban farming include fruits, root crops such as potatoes, vegetables, grains and mushrooms while animals include rabbits, guinea pigs, poultry, fish, cattle, sheep, and goats (Stordahl, 2012). Medicinal herbs, tree products, ornamental plants, and aromatic herbs are non-food products also cultivated in urban lands. However, urban farmers prefer cultivating perishable and high-value crops, animals and by-products such as milk because they have a ready market. Economic activities that constitute urban farming include marketing and processing activities, service deliveries, non-governmental organizations, micro-enterprises, and farm inputs such as compost. There is a close relationship between production and marketing in urban farming as compared to rural farming because of proximity and fast flow of resources. Most of the produce is for self-consumption, but there is normally an excess that is sold off to supermarkets, the farm gate, local shops, and intermediaries. Fresh produce is mainly sold, but some of it is cooked, processed for domestic use, or packaged for sale to various outlets (Veenhuizen, 2006).
Urban farming has numerous benefits to individuals and the nation as a whole. Firstly, it assures a constant food supply of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish to the local consumers. Residents have the power of food security in their hands, which creates a sense of empowerment and independence. In turn, it eradicates hunger and poverty because people produce enough food for consumption and can rake in some income from excess produce, which is sold to local outlets. Farming and processing of the produce creates employment opportunities for some residents, which greatly reduces poverty. It also enhances harmony among members of the community as families and communities come together to pursue a common goal of producing food for the benefit of all. Urban farming also makes immense contribution to environmental sustainability since it improves the beauty of the city by making the streets green. It also helps in supplying fresh and quality air and water; thus, improving the urban ecology. Since urban farming utilizes wastewater and organic waste, it helps in reducing pollution and the need for water treatment (Veenhuizen, 2006). In addition, the city’s biodiversity is improved since the farms serve as a habitat for wildlife such as amphibians, insects, and wild plants.
By contrast, urban farming also has its downside. Legal aspects governing city zoning and aesthetic may put off farmers from practicing urban farming because heavy penalties may be imposed. Urban farming also contributes to water pollution because farmers use chemicals that may be toxic to nearby water bodies. There are also high costs involved in starting up and running the enterprise, which may be unfavorable to low-income earners. Compost manure used in urban farming or rotting produce could have an awful odor; thus polluting the environment and making living in the city unbearable (Stordahl, 2012).
Urban farming is a new trend that most cities have adopted with the aim of increasing food security and reducing food miles and poverty. The future of urban farming is bright as it will continually grow with the growth and expansion of cities since it is a fundamental part of the urban ecosystem. It is not likely to disappear with the rural immigrants who may shift or lose their home with time since the rural residents did not invent it. It has numerous benefits that greatly outweigh its disadvantages; thus, it is a sure venture for both domestic and commercial food production.
References
Boland, J. (2005). Urban agriculture: Growing vegetables in cities. Agromisa Foundation. Retrieved on 12 Dec. 2013 from http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/AD24.pdf
Stordahl, W. (2012). Urban agriculture articles – Growing your own foods in the city. FastStart Real Estate Services. Retrieved on 12 Dec. 2013 from http://www.realestate.com/advice/urban-agriculture-articles-growing-your-own-foods-in-the-city-36063/
Veenhuizen, R. (Eds.). (2006). Cities farming for the future: Urban agriculture for green and productive cities. Ottawa, ON: IDRC.
Discussion 11 For every effect, there must be a cause. Anything that happens always has a cause preceding it.
Discussion 11
For every effect, there must be a cause. Anything that happens always has a cause preceding it. For example, when a person decides to do something or make something, they must have a motivation for it. Nothing in the world can just come into existence randomly or without a cause. In today’s world, human beings come up with solutions to problems. The problem can be termed as the cause, and the solution is the effect. Everything that is in existence must have had a cause even if the cause happened a long time before. One cause precipitates many effects that come after it.
To give a few examples of the cause and effect theory, take a close look at the life of human beings today. Houses were built to shelter humans from extreme weather and other dangers that come with living in an open space. The cause is the need for shelter from the elements, and the effect is the houses that were constructed. Secondly, people eat food because they are hungry. In this case, hunger is the cause and eating is the effect of the feeling of hunger. When a person sees a snake, they sense danger and usually flee from the snake. The cause is the dangerous snake, and an effect is a person fleeing to safety. It is apparent that every action or thing is an effect with a cause behind it.
Thomas Aquinas agrees with the viewpoint that every effect must have a cause; he uses this reasoning to explain the existence of God and how the universe came into being. God created the universe; hence God is the cause, and the universe is the effect (Fairweather). Thomas explains that everything in the world must have a cause; nothing can come into being without first having a cause. If there is no cause, then there can be no effect that will come after. For the subsequent effects of existing, the cause must come first.
The universe today can be seen as an effect, and the only probable cause of its existence is God. There can be no other logical explanation as to how the world came into being except the fact that it must have been created by God (Green). Therefore without God, the world would not exist. To deny God’s existence is illogical since there is no way that the world was created except by God. God is the cause, and the universe is the effect.
Works Cited
Fairweather, Alan M., ed. Nature and grace: selections from the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. Vol. 11. Aeterna Press, 2016.
Green, Tom. “On the Knowledge of God and the Metaphysics of Aquinas.” Aristos 4.1 (2018): 3.
Urban and Regional planning
Urban and Regional planning
Name
Affiliation
Introduction
Urbanization and industrialization have accelerated growth of towns and cities. This further stirred up with technological advancement and increase in population. This calls for proper urban and regional planning.
Urban planning is a process that deals with the control of land and design of the urban settlement and regions for the benefit of the existing population. Cities ranging from small to the largest set up with proper urban planning. This guides, and ensures order development of settlements and communities. It concerns itself with strategic thinking, research, analysis, implementation and management (Arnott et al, 2006). The origin of urban planning came into being as a result of disorder in an industrial city in mid 19th century. Planning of urban cities include urban renewal through the adaptation of planning techniques to cities that already exist and suffering from decline. Planning goals represent an ideal outcome of sustainable development (Capello et al, 2004). The increased population density in urban areas calls for urban renewal where businesses relocates, structures demolished, and people relocated. Government land utilizes if there is no space for growth of urban cities. This is a driver for economic reform that enhances communities (Southern, 2006).
Urban redesigning and renewal have contributed to long term positive effects. Housing quality has improved and reduces sprawl. In terms of economic value, it enhances economic competitiveness of a town centre, improves social and cultural amenities, and improves surveillance and safety (Capello et al, 2004).
The roles of urban planners are to shift from analyzing things technically to sustainability through integrated construction services (Southern, 2006).
Models.
Regional planner today employs rational planning model. These models view planning as a process that is technical and logical. It utilizes data that are quantitative to make a decision on how to invest resources properly in new and existing infrastructure. The process follows three different stages pattern consisting pre analysis, technical analysis and post analysis stages. These models include policies that are complex and quantitative in nature (Chigbu & Eugene, 2012). When carrying out all the stages, sustainability must be factored in so that projects that are sustainable set up. This is to guard any further changes that might occur in the future and to enhance environment that is sustainable and friendly (Arnott et al, 2006).
Sustainability.
Market forces in the development of cities contribute to sustainability. Market depends on the geographical location and in turn influences the population surrounding it. The performance of a firm in an isolated region is different from a firm in a concentrated region (McCann & Philip, 2001). When there is a cluster of industries in one region, like urban the Silicon Valley in California, creates urban areas, which have distinct, economies and dominant firms. Land being a production factor is of value in metropolitan regions. The economists examine the inter city location choices of firms and households and explain the observed pattern of land use (Fuller & Crawford, 2011).
Housing and public policy deal with urban planning and regional development. This is because housing is a specific type of need. Since housing is not moveable, when a family selects a place to reside, it is also choosing a specific place (Fuller & Crawford, 2011). Urban economists assist in analyzing the location choices of families in line with market effects of housing policies. In the analysis of housing policies, economists use market structures such as the structure of a perfect. Funding, space, and uncertainty are some of the problems encountered (McCann & Philip, 2001).
References
Arnott et al. (2006). A Companion to Urban Economics. Blackwell Publishing.
Capello, Roberta, Nijkamp, & Peter. (20s04). Urban Dynamics and Growth: Advances in Urban
Economics. Elsvier,
Chigbu, & Eugene, U. (2012). Village Renewal as an Instrument of Rural Development:
Evidence from Weyam, Germany. Community Development, 43(2): 209-224.
Fuller, R., & Crawford. (2011). Impact of Past and Future Residential HousingDevelopment
Patterns. Journal of Housing and Built Environment, 26(2): 165-183.
Southern, A. (2006). Modern-day Transport planners. Local Transport Today, 448.