Delhi Govt has Started "Smart Urban Farming" to Encourage Kitchen Gardens

To encourage green jobs in the capital, the Delhi cabinet on Wednesday approved the "smart urban farming" program, which intends to popularise rooftop farming for both personal use and business entrepreneurship.

Following the cabinet's agreement, specialists will be engaged extensively to conduct 600 entrepreneurship training programs and 400 awareness seminars around the city, according to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"We had taken up significant entrepreneurship to encourage urban farming during our budget announcements. With the help of this innovative concept, individuals from all walks of life will be able to start small-scale fruit and vegetable farming operations on their balconies and terraces. The Delhi government will educate locals to cultivate these plants in a city environment. By giving them seeds and other requirements, we would help urban farmers,” stated Kejriwal on Wednesday.

The government wants to help around 25,000 households in the first year. Around 10,000 people are scheduled to receive training on how to grow vegetables on rooftops for personal use, and about 15,000 people are expected to receive training on starting a home farm as a business.

The Delhi government will also educate 40 master trainers for the general public effort, and they will then help the public and resident organizations around the city move the project forward.

The program has been broken down into two main parts. People who desire to raise fruits and vegetables for their consumption make up the first group. Such individuals will receive premium, organic vegetables at their residences, saving them money on green foods. Those who desire to turn this into a company make up the second category. This will enable many individuals, especially stay-at-home moms, to earn additional money, added Kejriwal, who also mentioned that training will start at the ward level.

Through these 1,000 workshops, he stated, "We hope to educate and empower 25,000 families in the first year."

The program's goals include the creation of an urban mass food movement, increasing Delhi's green space, developing entrepreneurship, generating new employment opportunities, farming, and sharing new technology and techniques for urban farming.

Residents who live in areas where there is sufficient sunshine can produce plants, fruits, and vegetables on their terraces under this project. According to officials, another goal of urban gardening is to make sure that locals grow food free of pesticides and dangerous chemicals.

A Delhi environment protection committee will be established by the government to help in training and coordinating efforts further. "Representatives of NGOs, RWAs, environmental specialists, MLAs, and council members will be on the committee.” According to a government official who wished to remain anonymous, “the Delhi government would set up a framework to provide citizens access to the supplies they need for urban gardening.”