"Don't overestimate the value of city agriculture"

Politicians shouldn't give the impression that city agriculture can help provide cities with food. Vegetable gardens in the city are only good as an information tool. This was said by city ecologist Vincent Kuypers, of the Wageningse institute of research Alterra. In Utrecht, among others, initiatives for city food are being stimulated.

After city dwellers discovered city farming, more and more organisations are now focussing on organising city agriculture. Small areas of green, wasteland and the roofs of large buildings are being supplied with all kinds of vegetable, fruit and herb plants, which city dwellers should eat off, goes the idea.

The danger is mostly in the ground, but also in the air, says Kuypers. "There are often more heavy metals in the ground in cities, which are greedily absorbed by leaf vegetables such as spinach and lettuce. Those metals are all stored in the edible part," according to the scientist.

The higher amount of nitrogen in the city is also a disadvantage, although it does make the plants grow. Growing isolated food, like in greenhouses is always much better, says Kuypers. "That way you can grow it almost completely sterile."

The arrival of city agriculture is mainly very good to show the youth where food comes from, says Kuypers. They often know no better than that vegetables come from the supermarket.

As an information caravan about food cultivation he finds the attention towards city agriculture a good idea. "Kids should work in a vegetable garden. It will make them eat fruit and vegetables more easily."

Source: RTV Utrecht