Global Urban Farming Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Farming Method (Vertical Farming, Hydroponics, Aquaponics, Aeroponics), By Type Of Crop (Leafy Greens, Fruits And Vegetables, Microgreens, Medicinal Plants), By Application (Commercial Urban Farming, Community Gardens, Educational And Research Farms, Residential And Rooftop Farming), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2024 To 2029

Farming is a type of agricultural process that requires the working of land, planting seeds, and growing edible plants for human and animal consumption. It can also be referred to as the raising of animals for their meat or milk. Farming has been a common practice among people for cultivating plants for aesthetic purposes, for commercialization, and as a food source. The different types of farming include commercial farming, primitive farming, intensive subsistence agriculture, and urban farming. Urban farming is linked to the farming practices that are conducted by the urban population.

Introduction:

Urban Farming is a type of farming where the practice of cultivating crops, plants, livestock, and other types of food sources are implemented in an urban environment. Most urban farming practices are conducted in indoor greenhouses, where the atmosphere and temperature are strictly maintained and controlled by the owner to cultivate the crops and other food products.  The benefits of urban farming include locally raised products, density from practices like vertical farming, redevelopment from the use of unused spaces in the urban areas, and community pride from community gardens that are run by non-profit organizations or municipalities that can help residents build stronger connections through farming. The urban farming market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecasted period of 2024-2029, with factors such as the increase in the urban population affecting the market growth.

Market Drivers:

• Growing Urban population/ urbanization: The increase in urban population is one of the major factors that lead to the urban farming market growth during the forecasted period. Urbanization can be referred to as the shift in population from rural to urban areas, where the growth and development depend on factors such as infrastructure and connectivity like airports, ports, housing, roads, railways, and many others. Most urban locations include cities, suburbs, and towns, where income growth opportunities for individuals increase, which changes the standard of living as well.  As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the total population is expected to grow at a steady pace, with the urban population showing a total of 79.7% of the total population in developed economies and 52.3% in developing economies in 2022, which includes Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania. The urban population is expected to increase along with the world’s total population, which is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. As the population of the urban areas increases, the implementation of urban farming practices can also be boosted through global campaigns such as the ‘Urban Farming 100 million Families and Friends Global Campaign’, which encourages 100 million people around the world to plant and register their gardens as a part of their Urban Farming Global Food Chain. This will empower people who are unemployed, underemployed, malnourished, suffer from food insecurity, and have unhealthy diets. Hence, the increase in the urban population and urbanization of regions will help provide the necessary boost for the urban farming market growth during the forecasted period.

Key Players:

• Plenty Unlimited Inc.: A vertical farming company that is known for the cultivation of pesticide-free greens, which include spinach, arugula, lettuce, and baby kale. They are also known for using their proprietary systems that combine engineering, crop science, and software for the production of crops that require low amounts of water.
• Urban Crop Solutions: A Vertical farming company known for the production of automated vertical farming systems, that can help challenge the rapid climate changes and urbanization on the global food chain supply.

Regional Analysis:

North American region is expected to witness significant growth in the urban farming market during the forecasted period of 2024-2029. The factors that affect the market growth in this region are the increased development of the economy, which boosts the urbanization process, and the government support provided for urban agriculture. As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Americas region displays the highest growth in urban population compared to the other regions. The Americas region has a growth of 81.5% in urban population compared to that of 79% in 2012. This growth can further increase the urban population in the region due to the increasing population growth in the developing economies, which is expected to increase from 0.65 billion in 2020 to 0.75 billion in 2050. As the urban population is expected to increase at a significant pace, urban farming practices are also expected to increase with the increased support of the government. For instance, the US Department of Agriculture has a history of providing support for the implementation of urban agriculture as a part of the local and regional food systems, which include USDA farmers market programs, rural cooperative grants, child nutrition programs, and research and cooperative extension services. The US government also provides numerous resources for urban agriculture, which include:

• establishment of the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee,
• an office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production that encourages and promotes urban, indoor, and other types of emerging agricultural practices,
• USDA grant to support innovative production and urban farming development, and
• support projects for counties that have a high concentration of urban or suburban farms.

With the support of the government and the increasing urban population, the implementation of urban farming practices will be expected to increase, which will then provide the necessary fuel for the urban farming market growth during the forecasted period of 2024-2029.

Market Developments:

• September 2021: A Kochi-based start-up in India, known as PlantMe Agro announced their expansion into the rising trend of urban farming with the promotion of hydroponics-based sustainable urban farming. The start-up will facilitate kitchen gardens that will provide maximum yields in the limited space and farming for larger spaces. The home kits will be sold to the public and will contain high-quality seeds, nutrient solutions, a Total Dissolved Salt (TDS) meter, and also provide hydroponic training.

Segmentation:

• By Farming Method:
  • Vertical Farming
  • Hydroponics
  • Aquaponics
  • Aeroponics
• By Type of Crop:
  • Leafy Greens
  • Fruits and Vegetables
  • Microgreens
  • Medicinal Plants
• By Application:
  • Commercial Urban Farming
  • Community Gardens
  • Educational and Research Farms
  • Residential and Rooftop Farming
• By Geography:
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • France
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • Japan
    • China
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Indonesia
    • Thailand
    • Others