How to Profit from Urban Farming

In my home country, industrial farming is still in the initial stage. Industrial-scale big farms are rare and major business houses and banks are yet to invest heavily in the agriculture sector. Yet, our economy is still agrarian and more than 80 percent of the population is engaged in agriculture. Most of the farming is done by small farmers. For example, there are very few large-scale dairies, and most of the milk production comes from the farmers who raise 1-2 cows. There are not many big-scale pig farms or goat farms, and the meat industry is sustained by small-scale farmers who raise 1- pigs or goats.  Since a large percentage of people are involved in agriculture, the agriculture needs are easily fulfilled.

Why do we need to produce more food?

The current world population is 7.9 billion. China and India are the two most populous nations on earth. In China, there are 1.7 billion people and India has 1.2 billion people. The rising population demands more food, we need more food to feed the 8 billion people on earth.

The population is rising, demand for food is increasing, yet our agricultural land is the same. In interestingly, in the last 30-40 years, the agricultural sector has been revolutionized heavily. New agriculture techniques have evolved, for example, hydroponics, aquaponics, vertical gardening, urban gardening, etc.

The new farming techniques have made farming so easy that these days even in the urban areas, people are growing food. Until 20-30 years ago, farming was not thought to be profitable, but over the few decades production has increased rapidly and the food producers (farmers) and sellers (wholesalers, suppliers, retailers) are making a lot of money. In the past 2-3 decades, income for low-income families in my home country has heavily improved. Thanks to the new farming techniques.

If you want to farm, you do not need prior experience, you do not need specialized skills, you do not even require a big investment. Well, experience, skills and money for investment will help, but that is absolutely not necessary.

Why Urban Framing is Important?

I do not know how it goes in other countries; however, in my home country, urban farming is becoming very popular, thanks to technology like terrace gardening, aquaponics gardening, hydroponics, etc. In recent times, food production has rapidly increased and contributed heavily to the National Gross Domestic Product. Thanks to the increased popularity of urban farming. Agriculture is not only the number one income source in the rural areas, but even in the urban areas, agriculture is contributing heavily to the people’s income.

Until recently, in my home country, agriculture was mostly family based. Mr. X is a farmer because his parents were farmers . Mr. X's parents started agriculture due to the fact that their parents were also farmers. Framing has been passed through generations.

Businesses are making a lot of money by selling equipments, fertilizer, pots, seeds, potting soil to the urban farmers. Urban farmers on the other hand are not only producing foods for themselves but even making money by selling surplus food.

In my country, since farming is family based, you can see 2-3 generations toiling in the field. Even the students work in the farm. When the rice planting season arrives, schools are closed for a month in order to allow them to help their parents in the field.

First published on Forum Coin in author's name