HONG KONG: On the roof of a Hong Kong skyscraper, a group of office workers are busy gathering the rewards of their labor with their heads in the clouds and their hands in the dirt. A huge garden of radishes, carrots, and rhubarb is blooming at the top of the 150m tall Bank of America skyscraper, invisible to people below, a dramatic and colorful contrast to the city’s financial district’s monochromatic colors of concrete, steel, and glass.
Thanks to initiatives like Rooftop Republic, a local social company that promotes urban farming, more than 60 farms have blossomed across the space-starved city since 2015 – on disused helipads, shopping mall rooftops, and public terraces.
The farms, according to Andrew Tsui of Rooftop Republic, are a means for people to reconnect with how sustainable food can be produced in the present “instant-noodle city lifestyle,” which generates so much trash. Anthony WALLACE/AFP
The rooftop farms, according to cofounder Andrew Tsui, are a means for people to reconnect with how sustainable food can be produced in the present “instant-noodle city lifestyle” that generates so much waste.
During a stormy site inspection of the skyscraper’s garden, the 43-year-old told AFP, “What we’re looking at is actually how to discover underutilized places across the city and mobilize the residents, the people, to learn about food.”
Tsui feels that Hong Kongers must re-establish a link with their food that has been shattered “since we started outsourcing our food and depending so much on industrialized production.”
Approximately 90% of the food consumed by Hong Kong’s 7.5 million residents is imported, primarily from mainland China. Anthony WALLACE/AFP
FOOD WASTE IN PILES
According to government figures, Hong Kong discards 3,500 tonnes of food waste per day, which is the equal of 250 double-decker buses. Only around a fifth of the waste is recycled.
And 90% of the food consumed by the city’s 7.5 million residents is imported, primarily from mainland China.
Every day, Hong Kong discards 3,500 tonnes of food waste, the equivalent of 250 double-decker buses. Anthony WALLACE/AFP
Despite the fact that Hong Kong is one of the world’s most densely populated cities, there is still enough of room to grow food locally.
According to Tsui, almost seven million square meters of arable land are currently cultivated. However, the city’s rooftops still have about six million square meters of undeveloped space. “As a result, we might potentially double the amount of land available for food production,” he stated. “For us, the goal is to develop urban farming as a lifestyle that we can incorporate into our daily lives,” he continued. “And, of course, being available is the first step.”
Tsui feels that Hong Kongers must re-establish a link with their food that has been shattered “since we started outsourcing our food and depending so much on industrialised production.” Anthony WALLACE/AFP
Rooftop Republic works collaboratively with architects, developers, and property managers to incorporate urban farms into office building plans.
Sign-ups from major corporations are pouring in.
In addition to the Bank of America garden, which was funded by JLL, Singaporean banking behemoth DBS has teamed with Rooftop Republic to create an academy that offers beginning and professional programs.
“The majority of people in Hong Kong are concerned with the property’s business value. We do, however, want to promote the idea of sustainability “Eric Lau, the group’s senior director of property management, explained the situation.
Urban farmers claim that their initiatives help foster a sense of community among those who work in the fields. Anthony WALLACE/AFP
ADVANCED SKILL
The projects, according to urban farmers, also assist to foster a sense of community among individuals who raise the crops.
Lai Yee-man said she went to farming after retiring from the public sector to reconnect with nature and her neighbors.
To grow her farming plot in the New Territories region of Hong Kong – a rural location close to the border with mainland China – the 60-year-old first learnt tactics and tricks from pros.
While Hong Kong is one of the world’s most densely populated cities, there is still plenty of room to grow food locally. Anthony WALLACE/AFP
But now she’s passing on her knowledge to other residents at the Sky Garden, a 1,200-square-meter facility perched atop a shopping mall.
Residents can grow delicious flowers and fruit trees, as well as take part in lifestyle programs such as mindful gardening.
“People are more concerned about their health now, and they will buy organic food,” Lai said.
“We teach children not to waste food here,” she stated, adding that the majority of the produce grown at the mall farm is donated to local food banks.
Tsui recognizes that few young Hong Kongers are interested in learning how to cultivate food at the moment.
However, because younger people are generally concerned about the environment and climate change, there is a chance to inspire enthusiasm.
“Growing your own food is a crucial new skill that we all need to acquire to ensure a regenerative and green earth,” he stated./n
