Rooftop farming is here to stay

Each morning, Asta Maya Dangol heads to her rooftop to select greens and herbs to cook dinner for the day. A resident of Dhobighat, Dangol has crammed her rooftop with herbs and greens rising in clay pots, plastic crates, sacks, and white styrofoam bins.

There are guava and dragon fruit bushes. A number of bins have ripe cauliflower prepared for harvest. There are tomatoes (in various levels of ripening), Chinese language leek, and vines of widespread beans and yardlong beans supported by skinny metallic poles.

Dangol checks her vegetation and bushes, and earlier than leaving the rooftop, she plucks just a few tomatoes, guavas, and Chinese language leek for the meal.

“I wished to begin rooftop farming a few years in the past, however it was solely throughout final yr’s lockdown that I lastly received round to really doing it. I believe deciding to begin rooftop farming was top-of-the-line selections I’ve made throughout the lockdown,” says Asta Maya Dangol.

Ever-increasing land costs and doubtful high quality of greens have made many within the Valley convert their rooftops to city farms. Nonetheless, it was solely in 2013 that the idea of rooftop farming (kausi kheti) began turning into actually common. That yr, Kathmandu Metropolitan Metropolis (KMC), in affiliation with RUAF (Assets Centres on City Agriculture and Meals Safety) Basis; UN-Habitat; and Surroundings and Public Well being Group (ENPHO), gave rooftop farming coaching to 150 households throughout the Valley. This coaching was an built-in course of stable waste administration, wastewater administration, and rooftop vegetable gardening.

Sanumaya Maharjan was KMC’s focal individual for the 2013 rooftop farming coaching programme. In the course of the programme, Maharjan spent many days giving coaching and orientations to households.

“In 2013, we centered on utilising biodegradable stable waste and wastewater that got here from the kitchen. We inspired individuals to make use of peels of onion, potato, and banana to make natural compost for rooftop vegetable farming and water the vegetation with water used to scrub rice or dal,” says Maharjan. “A lot to our shock, throughout the lockdown, we noticed an elevated curiosity from individuals in beginning rooftop farming. Throughout final yr’s lockdown, I used to be busy giving webinar periods on rooftop farming.”

For a few years, fifty-year-old Binoj Raj Shakya grew flowers on his rooftop, however it is just very just lately that he began rising greens and herbs.

“I develop natural cauliflowers, taro leaves, and tomatoes on my rooftop,” says Shakya.

Like many, Shakya began rooftop farming primarily due to the ever-increasing costs of greens within the Valley and the overuse of pesticides in greens, which will get printed within the information every now and then. The final yr’s lockdown gave him the time required to are inclined to the vegetation.

“Because it’s inconceivable to develop all of the greens we devour on my rooftop, I’ve to purchase some greens from the market. However rising a few of my very own greens has lessened my dependence on market’s greens, and it has allowed me to avoid wasting cash as properly,” says Shakya.

Whereas the overwhelming majority of households that do rooftop farming achieve this for their very own consumption, there are just a few outliers who’ve commercialised their rooftop farming.

Brothers Microgreens is one such rooftop farming enterprise. Began by Prashant Raj Giri and Niroj Khadka in 2019, the enterprise produces and sells microgreens, younger vegetable greens used for salads and garnishes.

“When rooftop farming began turning into common within the Valley, we realised that we might use our personal rooftops to develop greens for business consumption as properly,” says 24-year-old Giri, who’s an agriculture pupil. “After conducting a variety of analysis, we determined to commercially develop microgreens on our rooftops utilizing our experience and data. We began this enterprise with an funding of Rs200,000, and within the final two and half years, now we have bought round Rs1.2 million value of produce to among the main five-star lodges within the Valley.”

As increasingly individuals begin rooftop farming, Maharjan says it’s vital to know sure basic issues earlier than they begin.

“Since final yr’s lockdown, the Valley has seen an enormous surge within the variety of households beginning rooftop farming. However many have gotten into it with out having the right data. Many households have crammed their rooftops with so many vegetation that the burden might compromise the buildings’ construction,” says Maharjan. “A roof of an everyday home made on 4 annas of land has a most load-bearing capability of three,000 kgs. Since most households within the Valley have two 1,000 litre water tanks on their roofs, we advise households to not exceed 1,000 kgs for his or her pots, vegetation, and soil for rooftop farming. The vegetation should even be positioned on the alternative aspect of the water tanks in order that the burden is unfold evenly throughout the roof.”

In response to Shakya, one other vital factor the households want to grasp whereas rooftop farming revolves across the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides.

“Fertilisers play an vital function in guaranteeing wholesome vegetation and pesticides to maintain away dangerous pests. However as an alternative of utilizing chemical fertilisers and pesticides, I counsel individuals discover natural supplies,” says Shakya. “Mixtures of burnt ashes, sand, and different biodegradable kitchen waste can be utilized as a substitute for fertilisers.”

Ever since Dangol began rooftop farming, she has been spending appreciable time on YouTube researching methods to make fertilisers and pesticides at dwelling.

“Pests damaging vegetation is among the main considerations for rooftop farmers like me. Most individuals hand over on farming altogether as a result of pests destroy their vegetation, and so they can’t eradicate them correctly. Some resort to utilizing dangerous pesticides,” says Shakya. “I’ve been researching lots on YouTube on methods to make natural pesticides and fertilisers. I realized from YouTube that chilly powder blended in water repels pests. There are such a lot of such recommendations on YouTube one can use.”

Aside from offering her household with a gentle provide of herbs and greens, Dangol says farming has additionally been therapeutic.

“We dwell in a concrete jungle, so it’s good to have my very own few sq. metres of greenery on my roof,” says Dangol. “For me, rooftop farming has served a number of functions, and I’m glad I began it final yr. I believe extra individuals ought to do it and get into it and profit from their empty and underused roofs.”