Farmers in Nigeria have been trained on how to deepen efforts in urban farming techniques needed, saying it is one of the most powerful solutions to use in checkmating the climate change.
At a training organised in Owerri, Imo State Capital, Dike Innocent, an agro-preneuer and the chief executive officer of Smartfied Agro Services, said that deepening efforts in urban farming could help to bring a reduction on carbon emissions since locally grown foods would cut down transportation emissions from bringing foods and other agricultural products over long distances.
“Also, it helps to cut down over reliance on industrial agriculture, which contributes to deforestation and high carbon emissions”, he noted.
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He added that “it improves air quality because green roofs, vertical gardens, and urban farms absorbs carbon dioxide (CO₂) and release oxygen to improve the air quality even as plants help to filter pollutants and fine dust from the air.”
To mitigate urban heat island effects, Dike in his lecture, said that urban farming and green spaces reduce city temperatures by providing shade and cooling through transpiration. This is as he stated that the rooftop gardens help to lower indoor temperatures and reduce energy consumption for cooling.
Meanwhile, the trainer noted that urban farming enhances soil health and reduces waste, saying that composting organic waste for urban farming reduces land fill emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. And that regenerative farming practices improve soil quality and store carbon in the soil.
In improving water management, the agro-preneuer noted that the
urban farms could also use rainwater harvesting and hydroponics to grow food with less water, that green spaces absorb excess rainwater and reduce urban flooding.
He went further to explain how urban farming strengthens food security and resilience. According to Dike, it shortens food supply chains and reduce reliance on global industrial agriculture.
“And it provides fresh local produce and reduce the need for processed foods with high carbon footprints”, he submitted.
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