Urban Strawberry Farming: A Path to Local Self-Sufficiency Through Knowledge Exchange

Key Takeaways

1. Harper Adams University research underscores the potential of urban strawberry farming for local self-sufficiency.
2. The study calls for collaboration between urban and rural strawberry producers to share expertise and innovations.
3. Urban farming faces unique challenges, including environmental controls and pest management.
4. Knowledge exchange between established and emerging growers is crucial for the development of sustainable urban agriculture.
5. The research aims to bridge the gap between traditional and urban farming methods, fostering community engagement and sustainable practices.

A groundbreaking study from Harper Adams University, conducted in partnership with Vertical Future (Company Profile), has spotlighted the collaborative potential between urban and rural strawberry farmers. The research, led by Katia Zacharaki, a PhD student specializing in Indoor Strawberry Production at Harper Adams and Senior Plant Scientist at Vertical Future, alongside a team of researchers, explores the opportunities and hurdles of strawberry cultivation within urban agricultural systems.

The Significance of Urban Strawberry Cultivation

According to Zacharaki, “In the pioneering landscape of urban horticulture (UH), the cultivation of strawberries appears exciting due to environmental and year-round fruit availability, yet it is also challenging for new urban farmers and businesses.” The demand for locally produced food has made it imperative to integrate strawberries into urban farming systems, addressing the pressing challenges urban growers face.

Bridging Knowledge Gaps

The study emphasizes the crucial need for knowledge exchange between well-established commercial rural producers and the new wave of urban farmers. Zacharaki further notes, “Commercial producers have extensive experience in all aspects of plant physiology, environmental conditions, pest management, irrigation, nutrient feed, and pollination, which makes them valuable stakeholders that urban newcomers must consult.”

Collaborative Research and Technological Advances

The collaborative effort with industry partners such as Vertical Future has been pivotal in addressing urban agriculture’s technical and knowledge gaps. Dr. Jennifer Bromley, Chief Scientific Officer at Vertical Future, stated, “Our work in developing technologies for strawberry plant propagation and fruit production has shown how much knowledge there is in the sector which we can translate into technological solutions to improve processes for urban horticulture as well as supporting current growers with technological solutions to known challenges.”

Envisioning the Future

The research envisions a future where urban strawberry fields contribute significantly to sustainable farming, ensuring year-round fruit availability and local self-sufficiency and fostering a sense of community in hyper-local spaces. “By bridging the gap between experienced producers and newcomers, this review envisions a future where urban strawberry fields contribute to sustainable farming,” Zacharaki added, highlighting the study’s goal of creating a collaborative framework for urban and rural growers.

Read the complete paper here.