REVOLUTIONIZING URBAN AGRICULTURE IN LAGOS METROPLITAN AREA THROUGH VERTICAL FARMING

According to the United Nations in 2019(UN 2019), cities in the global urban south will need 70% more food, than currently produced to meet the demands of the rapidly increasing populations in them by 2050.

This thus raises the question, ‘who will feed the city’. In order to answer that, this study reviews how other cities similar to Lagos in geographic terms have developed technologies such as hydroponics, rooftop and vertical farms to serve as sustainable sources of food supply for the city. The aim of such a study is to kick-start a ‘green revolution’ and employs comparative and analytical studies on the dynamics of urban agriculture in the context of Lagos Metropolitan area. It further explores the symbiotic relationship between government and urban farms within pockets of spaces in dense urban centres. Avenues where architects and urbanists can collaborate to ‘recreate’ places in the city for sustainable food production and supply are recommended for consideration and support by government policies.

How can the city provide a sustainable food production system to meet up with the rapidly growing urban?

Philo’s record shows what great significance agriculture played in the cities of antiquity. However, even beyond the Babylonian empire, agriculture played a key role in the development of cities. The earliest records being of cities around Mesopotamia (Southern Iraq, Tigris & Euphrates rivers: Ur) and the Indus Valley (Harrapa, Mohenjo-Daro) emerged as centres for crop farming and later took on nonagricultural functions which included manufacturing, trade, government and religion (Helbaek 1960). With the exception of Catal Huyuk, which was a mining settlement, that later embraced agriculture, the first cities were strongly rooted in both crop and animal farming. (McGregor 2015).

Hydraulic Hypothesis

Karl Wittfogel’s Hydraulic theory which poses that the first cities emerge in agricultural regions dependent on irrigation. Wittfogel explains why states arose where they did, and why they failed to arise elsewhere implying that cities arose as a result the specific cultural and political need to provide agriculture within settlements.

Clean Air Nurseries, South Africa has developed an extremely water-efficient vertical farm facility. The technology upon which the technology operates is known as EGGS (Environmental Green Growth System). The system produces 600kg of lettuce in a 4-week production period, using about 2000 litres of water.

PlantLab practices indoor farming, but they do more than just growing plants under LED lights. They also conduct background research for each crop, identifying the right mix of variables for each plant, and create a Plant-ID for each crop, which explains how that crop behaves in a controlled environment.

Site Studies

The Vertical Farming method employed at Sky Greens, Singapore is a combination of hydroponics systems and a specialized system of A-Frame aluminium structures with rotating troughs.

Idi Araba is one of the ten wards under the Mushin Local Government Area. The name IdiAraba connotes the idea of ‘under the tree – Araba’.

The Hausas of Idi-Araba arrived from Mushin 70 years ago, in consequence of a disagreement with their Yoruba hosts. His words:

“There was a crisis between the Yoruba and the Hausas. So Hausas moved down here from Mushin, so that there wouldn’t be a conflict”.

“… came from Mushin, they settled under a tree locally known in Yoruba as Araba”.

Thus the name Idi-Araba liberally means under the Araba tree.”

Sarki Idris, Hausawa

Proposed Management Structure Proposed Vertical Farm Design

Estimated amount of leafy greens (500g per unit) vertically

In a conversation with the farmers on the site, it was made know that the site actually belonged to the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital and consequentially the Federal Government of Nigeria. The farmer revealed that, “LUTH allows [them] to stay and cultivate on the farm”. (Source: Author’s Survey 2018)

Many of the farmers expressed confidence in the benevolence of the LUTH management, since they have not received any pressure to vacte the site. This relationship bears some similarities with the Kofar Ruwa case study, Kano (Lynch et al. 2001). These similarities are, tenure in this case seems to range between medium to short term periods, the farmer

Estimated amount of leafy greens (500g per unit) traditionally

194.4 metric tonnes 6 months 36 metric tonnes per 6 months

Total Site Area

1.32Ha does not pay the owner, and there is a keen and friendly relationship between the farmer and the owner of the plot. This Management structure presents an opportunity for the introduction of a vertical farm concept for the IdiAraba community. In concept, vertical farms are multi-storey buildings with highly controlled environmental conditions and access that house year-round crop production in artificial environments by using hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics. It also opens up doors for the University as a research institution to push the boundaries of knowledge and experimentation in vertical farming to meet up with international standards.

Design Overview

The site is also strategically located at a transport node being the Iddo Rail Terminal and the new Ebute-Metta Station. It is also accessed by roads connecting to the Apapa Port. This is relevant because vertical farming makes it possible to grow crops that are not adapted for the climate in the West African region, hence the Lagos market is not the sole beneficiary of such an intervention. The vertical farm at a larger scale opens up the opportunity for export to other cities in West Africa.

Behind the urban farm is a canal running along the East-West Axis. Although due to poor waste management, the canal has become more of a dumpsite, than it is a water channel. However, it presents an opportunity for sustainable water source on site for the farm. It proposes 5 structures and Public outdoor farm structures that double as pavilions for recreational activities.

Step-by-Step Form Development

Seedlings raised in troughs

Vertical Farming through hydroponics in specialized buildings is a possible and justified solution for food production in the Lagos context. It yields not just economic benefits, but academic, socio-cultural and environmental advantages for the Idi-Araba community and Lagos Metropolitan Area. Metropolitan Lagos is in dire need of productive agricultural landscape to sustain the growing population (Olugbenga and Adejumo 2010), and vertical farming has been shown to be the most logical approach to catering for this need.

Mature seedlings transplanted to soil

The research has also shown that insecure tenure can cause considerable stress for existing urban farmers, thus, there needs to be a rethink of the current management structure that does not protect the livelihoods of the farmers and the existence of urban agriculture as the prevalent land use on the site.

It has been shown that urban vertical farming can benefit existing land owners by protecting their claims to the land and in some cases provide income, can improve living conditions of community dwellers. It enhances the security of local residents, since the cultivators are now utilising what was previously an area of unproductive bush harbouring criminals. A significant reduction of a non-renewable energy consumption by the abandonment of agricultural engines and ploughing. On the other hand, vertical farms that run on renewable energy sources are self-sustaining and eventually cost friendly.

Most importantly, however, is the role of architecture and design to create the ‘place’ for food production. Competent knowledge, skill and management is required from the conception of the idea up until execution and management.

Other fields of scientific process need to have their roles examined and synergized with the common objective. This means that with respect to computer engineering, software for managing pH levels, atmospheric conditions, lighting and watering cycles could be developed to connect with the plant growth process.

With respect to botany, enhanced watering solutions, configurations for planting, and growing techniques are a few ways the field could have practical applications in a vertical farm.

With respect to mechanical engineering, robots that monitor and handle seedlings from trough to soil could be developed eventually. Whatever manner or order these developments take place, the fundamental need is that a collaborative effort between professionals and academics in these fields occur in order to provide truly sustainable places for food production in Lagos Metropolitan Area.

Project Title: The Fair Shared City Approach

Date: February 2022

Through a collaborative and voluntary process of role-playing, participants learn the basics of problem identification, agenda setting, debating, negotiation, ideation and presentation. This process involves the use of five cards called; The Challenge Card, The Role Card, The Idea Card, The Stakeholder Card and The Fund / Funding System Card.

Status: Game Design/Research Project

Role: Project Coordinator

URBAN LAB 01

01.

Over 30 women from Oworonshoki were introduced to the urban planning process through a card game

02.

The women were grouped into 5 urban systems of water, energy, mobility, food and housing.

The objective of the first lab was to explore an approach to planning that embraces social, environmental and spatial justice.

URBAN LAB 02

01.

The second urban lab convened the most interested participants from the first lab; a total of 25 women from the community.

02.

This lab was an introspective analysis of the challenges in the urban system groups.

03. 03.

Particpants discussed and documented how they interact with systems of water, energy, housing etc.

The third urban lab of the Fair Shared City project was a focused and concise group based discussion to identify the stakeholders to engage and a timeline for the implementation of the selected ideas.

URBAN LAB 03 01. 02.

During this lab, the ideas generated from a synthesis of expert opinions and previous lab engagements were presented to the women’s groups by the group facilitators and attending group members.

Open Call For Lab Participants

By using a loudspeaker, audio-drama and house to house calls, we were able to reach out to several community leaders and everyday citizens who would form part of the network for the planning process within the community. This call was thus unbiased, fair and random; giving all in the community the opportunity to participate.

First Review Workshop

The review workshops were designed to provide objective feedback to the deliberations and analyses taking place in the labs. The first review took place after the first two labs and brought together professionals from a vast array of specialisations beyond the built environment.

Final Review Workshop

The final review workshop showcased all the findings and learnings from the project to a small group of industry experts and professionals. The objective was to form new partnerships between the women groups and the professionals in order to implement their chosen proposals.