Dive Brief:
- The significance and size of urban agriculture is widely underestimated, according to research from the International Water Management Institute.
- Scientists at IWMI analyzed satellite data and found that the sheer volume of land dedicated to urban farming is massive - some 456 million hectares, roughly the size of the European Union.
- Among the more interesting findings is that the crops grown in urban farming globally are similar to what is grown in urban farms here in the U.S., i.e., vegetables rather than cereals.
Dive Insight:
The urban agriculture movement is largely a positive one, according to the the study. But there are reasons for concern in underdeveloped regions. In places like Ghana, for example, urban agriculture is extensive, but reliant upon polluted water.