This article explores the evolution of urban agriculture through the innovative work of Mohamed Hage, founder of Lufa Farms in Montreal. Hage’s vision was to establish year-round urban farms on rooftops, even in Canada’s challenging winter climate. His rooftop greenhouse produces fresh, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables using collected rainwater and a climate-controlled environment, drastically reducing food transport, water, and energy costs. With over a thousand weekly food baskets delivered within the city, Hage’s approach combines urban and peri-urban agriculture, effectively utilizing space and reducing environmental impact. This model showcases the potential for urban agriculture to address food insecurity, boost local economies, and create sustainable jobs in dense city settings. The Lufa model aligns with The Blue Economy principles by converting unused rooftop space, addressing water scarcity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. The article argues that this form of urban agriculture has the potential to reshape food security for the 50 million urban poor in the U.S., simultaneously contributing to local economic resilience and environmental sustainability.
本文探討了城市農業的創新發展，聚焦於蒙特利爾Lufa農場創始人Mohamed Hage的開創性工作。Hage的願景是即使在寒冷的加拿大冬季，也能在屋頂上建立全年運營的城市農場。該農場的溫室利用收集的雨水和可調控的環境，生產無農藥的水果和蔬菜，大幅降低了食物運輸、水和能源成本。每週向城市居民提供超過千份食材籃，該農場將城市和郊區農業有機結合，有效利用空間並減少環境影響。Lufa農場模式展示了城市農業在解決食品安全問題、促進地方經濟、創造可持續就業方面的潛力。這一模式與藍色經濟的原則相符，通過充分利用閒置屋頂空間、應對水資源短缺問題，並減少運輸過程中的溫室氣體排放。文章認為，這種城市農業形式有望為美國的5000萬城市貧困人口帶來食品保障，同時提升當地經濟韌性並促進環境的可持續發展。
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