Sky-high farms: Rooftop agriculture growing in popularity

Global Business

Sky-high farms: Rooftop agriculture growing in popularity

Building farms on rooftops is now gaining momentum across China. It provides an alternative lifestyle for city dwellers, helping people unwind after a day’s work and learn something new. Our reporter Meng Qingsheng visited a farm in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China’s Sichuan province.

CCTV’s Meng Qingsheng reports.

Crops, vegetables, and animals… They are not only in the countryside, but on the rooftop. For many, a farmland built on top of a shopping mall in the high-tech zone of Chengdu is a brand-new experience.

“It surprised me when I stepped onto this rooftop,” Tang Yan, a Chengdu resident said. “They have all kinds of vegetables and fruit. And there are species that I don’t know. It’s rare to see such things in big cities.”

One of the founders of this city farm, Mr. Liu, has been running a vast rural farm in the suburbs of the city for the past eight years. He thinks young people, especially children, know very little about agriculture.

“I came up with the idea of passing on Chinese agricultural traditions to the younger generation, and those living in cities,” said Liu.

Liu’s rooftop farm occupies nearly ten thousand square meters. It claims to be the biggest one of its kind across the whole country. After two months of operation, the farm has become a platform for people to relax and get to know more about agricultural production.

This farm not only has crops. It has animals too. The interaction is popular for parents and children.

It’s also a place for young people to learn, and for others to relax.

Liu believes the farm is a positive by-product of the shopping mall.

“With proper design and investment, we transformed this rooftop into something useful and provided the public with a free place to learn the science of planting and experience agricultural production.”

Mr. Liu says he has invested almost $75,000 in this project. And he is planning to expand the area to include more environmentally friendly elements. He hopes by visiting this rooftop farm, people will learn the importance of growing healthy food.


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