Proposal for Urban Farming in New York City

The current world population is 7.6 billion as of July 2018 and is increasing at a rate of 76 million people per year, causing an increased demand for food, housing, and natural resources. New York City, one of the largest cities in the US, imports most of their fresh vegetables and crops from neighboring states. Rapid urbanization and soil pollutions are even decreasing the amount of fertile land available for farming. However, there is a solution to this problem: using rooftops as a location to grow crops, vegetables, and fruits. This project can create a huge amount of space for farming as the majority of the rooftops aren’t utilized in any fashion. Besides, no additional building modification would be necessary as this can be done in any pre-existing building with a flat roof, that is able to support the excess weight of the farming structures.

The construction team will have engineers and expert farmers who will work together to form a plan for planting, harvesting, and maintenance. The installation process would form multiple layers for a variety of crops: Vegetation layer, geotextile layer, and drainage layer. Waterproofing will also be done by the engineers to prevent water from leaking into the building.

The estimated cost for a simple garden installation is $15 per square foot. The maintenance cost is estimated to be the same as traditional farming. Engineers and farmers working on the project would receive a salary ranging from $45,000 and $80,000 per year, depending on their experience and qualification.

The fulfillment of urban farming in New York City is a huge project as there are 5 boroughs with approximately 1.5 million buildings. Prior to construction, it’s important to pass legislation for approval and determine eligible buildings. The time estimated for complete construction of structures and seeding is 1 years. However, the eligibility determination can be completed within 6 months.

This project will not only mitigate the food shortage by increasing the crop supply, but also improve air quality and create many jobs in New York City. As the demand for food increases, urban farming becomes a necessity of future planning.