A 2020 study by Grebitus and colleagues had attempted to understand consumer’s perception towards urban farming through word association and concept mapping. They found that people in the United States primarily link urban farming to three categories: the environment (36%), followed by food and attributes (25%), and subsequently the society (20%).
What do these three categories mean? Let us break it down for you.
Environment
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Participants associate urban farming with ‘production and conservation’, ‘sustainability’, ‘waste’ and ‘pollution’. The results allude to the increasing environmental consciousness in the public, especially when the current food industry has left behind a large carbon footprint, urban farming becomes a greener alternative to small scale food production.
Food and Attributes
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Specific food and attributes associated with urban farming include ‘fresh’, ‘convenience’ and ‘food security’. This is particularly relevant in municipality areas where convenience is prioritised, so the immediate access to local fresh productions brought by urban farming is favourable.
Society
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Many think of urban farming as a collective activity, hence the association with ‘community building’, ‘education’, ‘family’, and ‘youth’. The participants have linked urban farming can forge community experience, leading to the togetherness of people living near each other. Community-based urban farming education can also prepare youths to become more self-sufficient in the future.
Based on the research findings, we are optimistic about the future of urban farming considering people generally formed positive perceptions about the industry. What about you? Let us know what’s your perception toward urban farming down in the comment below!
To read more about the research, click here.
Want to know how to get started with your own vegetable farm at home through urban farming? Simply reach out to us at francis@urbanfarmtech.net or give us a call at
+6012 666 7474 and look for Francis.
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