Challenges in Urban Farming

As the world's population grows there is an increased effort to find new and non-traditional ways to get food on the family dinner table.

Dr. Carola Grebitus, an agribusiness professor at Arizona State University, Is researching the concept of alternative food systems and she has focused on urban farming. Specifically, she and her team have identified vacant lots in the city landscape that can be used to farm. But there are challenges in expanding the urban farming movement. Economics and perception create problems getting food from non-traditional sources. Is there actually a demand for produce coming from urban farms? "When we think about demand, we would talk about the demand for produce and right now, as a normal consumer, I could go to a grocery store, I could go to a farmers market and the research that we have conducted so far, we asked for example, for reasons that would prevent or encourage people to purchase produce from an urban farm. The reasons that encourage people was mainly freshness, supporting the environment and health, supporting the local economy. The reasons that prevent the purchase are distance traveled, convenience, time commitment, and too much work. So if I am not really in need, then I may just decide to go to the local grocery store and get it there."