AGRO-HOUSING IN URBAN AREAS (THESIS RESEARCH)

AGRO-HOUSING IN URBAN AREA ELEZEBETH BAIJU

SPROUT: AGRO-HOUSING IN URBAN AREAS ELEZEBETH BAIJU

KMEA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

Guide: Ar. Sreekumar Rajasekhran Nair Co-Guide: Ar. Ameena Ayoob

Submitted in [partial] fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Architecture

MAHATHMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY Kottayam AUGUST, 2018

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thank all the people who contributed in some way to the work described in this research.

First and foremost, I thank Ar. Shyne U. Khan, Ar. Resmi K.V., Ar. Fathima, and Ar. Neeraja Sandeep.

I thank my thesis coordinators, Ar. Kiranjith C. and Ar. Mathew Adam for their timely guidance, support and patience all throughout the process.

Every result described in this research was accomplished with the help and support of my mentors Ar. Ameena Ayoob and Ar. Sreekumar Rajasekhran Nair.

My sincere thanks for their unconditional support, timely guidance and patience from the very to beginning of the report till the end. I was fortunate enough to have had the chance to work with Ar. Ameena Ayoob and Ar. Sreekumar who patiently sat with me in the most critical times to rationalize my thoughts and arrive at the result.

Additionally, I would like to thank all the teaching and non-teaching staff of KMEA college of Architecture for all the support and encouragement. My sincere thanks to all my friends and juniors without whom this journey would not have been completed.

I owe my sincere gratitude towards my parents and brother for their emotional support and cooperation.

Above all, the Almighty.

CONTENTS 1.

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... viii

2.

METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH .......................................................... x

2. LITERATURE STUDY .................................................................................. xi 2.1. AGRICULTURE IN GLOBAL SCENARIO ......................................... xi 2.2. AGRICULTURE IN INDIA ................................................................... xii 2.4. AGRICULTURE IN ERNAKULAM ................................................. xviii 2.5. URBAN AGRICULTURE ..................................................................... xxi 2.6. HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ............................................................. xxiv 3. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ xxvi 3.1. CORRELATING URBAN AGRICULTURE WITH HOUSING .... xxvi 3.2.

INTEGRATED AGRICULTURAL HOUSING .......................... xxviii

4. APPENDICES ..................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.1. APPENDIX -1............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.2. APPENDIX -2............................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

5. REFERENCES .............................................................................................. xxx

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 : GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL SCENARIO (Stratfor, 2018)................ xi Figure 2: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION COMPARED TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES (Oecd.org, 2017) ......................................................................... xii Figure 3: COMPARISON BETWEEN INDIA AND KERALA (Official web portal government of Kerala, 2017) ............................................... xii Figure 4: INDIA'S PROJECTED FOOD & SUPPLY DEMAND (Sify, n.d.) .... xiii Figure 5: DIFFERENCE IN AREA OF IMPORTANT CROPS IN KERALA BETWEEN 1985- 2005 (Downtoearth.org.in, 2017) .......................................... xiv Figure 6: TYPES OF CROP PRODUCTION (Niti.gov.in, n.d.) ......................... xiv Figure 7: GENERAL STATISTICS ABOUT KERALA (Official web portal government of Kerala, 2017) ................................................................................ xv Figure 8: COMPARISON OF CROP PRODUCTION DURING RECENT YEARS (Official web portal government of Kerala, 2017) ................................ xvi Figure 10 : GROWTH TREND OF POPULATION IN URBAN AREA (Dcmsme.gov.in, 2016) ...................................................................................... xxiv Figure 9: COMPARISON OF INDIA'S URBAN POPULATION TO THE WORLD (Oecd.org, 2017) ................................................................................ xxiv Figure 11: HOUSING DEMAND (CDP, 2031) ................................................. xxv Figure 12: COMPARISON OF CROP PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT THE YEARS (official web portal government of Kerala, 2017) . Error! Bookmark not defined.

1. INTRODUCTION The world’s population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, 33% more people than are on the planet today, according to projections from the United Nations.

About two-thirds of them are expected to live in cities, continuing a migration that has been under way around the world for years. That's a lot of mouths to feed, particularly in urban areas. Getting food to people who live far from farms, sometimes hundreds or thousands of miles away is costly and strains natural resources. And heavy rains, droughts and other extreme weather events can threaten supplies and create food deserts.

Food deserts are defined as urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options. The lack of access contributes to a poor diet and can lead to higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Agritecture is the art, science, and practice of incorporating agriculture into the built environment. This integration can be inside of the building (indoor vertical farming) to maximize the density of growing or outside of it (living walls and rooftop farms) to take advantage of the microclimates that exist through the design of city architecture. Agritecture is one way of challenging the current industrial scale agriculture by bringing food production to urban, local architectural environments.

AIM: To study how agriculture can be incorporated in urban living and spaces which can prove to be feasible, sustainable and profitable.

OBJECTIVES: To study, analyze and: 

Understand current scenario of agriculture in global, Indian and Keralite context.



Identify ways to incorporate agricultural farms into urban areas



Propose a prototype / space where agriculture and architecture blend in creating a sustainable, feasible, productive and social space.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can agriculture and architecture be integrated to create an economical, sustainable residential space in Kochi?

2. METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH

Agriculture housing in urban areas

Existing urban agricultural practices around the world

Housing problems faced in Kerala:  

Current scenarios in agriculture: Globally, India, Kerala

 

Surveys statistics by government agencies verbal conversation newspaper articles and interviews site visits Data collection



Urban areas

 

Data collection

Urban agriculture

Needs, advantages & disadvantages

Future advancements/ technological interventions

Comparison and analysis between the above studies

Applicable techniques and strategies for building sustainable agro - houses in Ernakulam in par with the problems faced by this sector

2. LITERATURE STUDY 2.1. AGRICULTURE IN GLOBAL SCENARIO

Figure 1 : GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL SCENARIO (Stratfor, 2018)

In the developed world, industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture has become the dominant system of modern farming, although there is growing support for sustainable agriculture, including permaculture and organic agriculture.

2.2. AGRICULTURE IN INDIA

Figure 2: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION COMPARED TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES (Oecd.org, 2017)

Figure 3: COMPARISON BETWEEN INDIA AND KERALA (Official web portal government of Kerala, 2017)

Since 1991, when India took the devious turn to neo-liberal reforms, 15 million main cultivators have left agriculture. Over 3,20,000 farmers have committed suicide since 1995, at the rate of one every half an hour. According to statistics available since 2015, 52 farmers are putting an end to their lives every day.

Undoubtedly, a quarter of a century of neo-liberal policies has only sounded the death knell of agriculture in our country. If the growth of agriculture in 2014 was 3.7 percentage points, it has plummeted to 1.1 percentage points now. As public

investment in agriculture is drastically reduced, agriculture becomes nonprofitable. Hence, it results in a drop in agricultural production itself. Attaining selfsufficiency in agricultural production is no more a serious concern of the central government. (Mathew, 2018)

Food demand in India is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades thanks to large population and income increases, expanding urbanization, and dietary changes. Simultaneously, India’s food self-sufficiency is expected to face significant challenges due to decreasing rates of agricultural productivity growth, scarce natural resources, and climate change. The study estimates that India’s overall demand for food grains will increase from 236.2 million tons (Mt) in 2010 to 272-277 Mt in 2020. (India.foodsecurityportal.org, 2017)

Figure 4: INDIA'S PROJECTED FOOD & SUPPLY DEMAND (Sify, n.d.)

2.3. SCENARIO OF AGRICULTURE IN KERALA

Figure 5: DIFFERENCE IN AREA OF IMPORTANT CROPS IN KERALA BETWEEN 1985- 2005 (Downtoearth.org.in, 2017)

Growth performance of the agriculture and allied sectors has been fluctuating across the Plan period. It witnessed a positive growth of 1.8 percent in Xth Plan period but a negative growth rate of -1.3 percent in XIth Five Year Plan. In the Twelfth Plan with 2011-12 as base year, the agriculture and allied sectors recorded a positive growth rate of 1.43 per cent in the first year (2012-13), and a negative growth rate of -2.13 per cent in second year(2013-14). In 2014-15, the sector has recorded a negative growth rate of -4.67 per cent. Consequently, the share of agriculture and allied sectors in total GSDP of the State has also declined from 14.38 per cent in 2011-12 to 11.6 per cent in 2014-15. But, the switch from 2004-05 to new series with 2011-12 as base has resulted in higher share of agriculture and allied sectors in the total GSDP of the State from 8.83 per cent to 12.9 per cent for 2013-14. (Dcmsme.gov.in, 2016)

Figure 6: TYPES OF CROP PRODUCTION (Niti.gov.in, n.d.)

Current Scenario:

Figure 7: GENERAL STATISTICS ABOUT KERALA (Official web portal government of Kerala, 2017)

Due of its topography, declining cultivable land, high population density, and a narrow rural-urban divide, experts have argued that Kerala cannot become selfsufficient in food production. This reflected the ‘productionist’ view that food production is possible only by means of conventional agriculture relying on heavy external inputs. However, the recent developments in Kerala suggest that alternatives to the dominant model of agri-food systems are taking root in the state.

The transitions taking place in the vegetable production system in Kerala are primarily attributed to a rapid rise in people’s concerns about pesticide-related health problems. In 2012, Kerala Agriculture University (a State-owned University) detected dangerous levels of pesticide residues, including banned ones, in commercially available fruit and vegetables.

Figure 8: COMPARISON OF CROP PRODUCTION DURING RECENT YEARS (Official web portal government of Kerala, 2017)

As the state was heavily dependent on neighboring states for most of its supply of vegetables, the University’s findings sparked a rethink of alternative options for local vegetable cultivation through agro-ecological methods.

Main programs: 1. Localizing production: To increase the area under cultivation as well as the production of vegetables, the state government launched a scheme called the Vegetable Development Program (VDP) in 2012. The program emphasized subsistence farming, as well as commercial production. To promote commercial vegetable production, technical and financial support is given to groups of farmers, if they form of a cluster of at least 15.

2. Urban vegetable cultivation: Urban vegetable gardening is a specific focus of the VDP. Nearly 10% of the program’s total annual budget is allocated for promotion of vegetable cultivation in urban areas. To make use of available spaces in urban domestic spaces through gardening, with 75% financial subsidy, grow-bags planted with vegetable saplings are distributed to residents. As part of the follow-up, inputs (seeds, seedlings, bio-control agents etc.) are provided to these beneficiaries in the following years.

3. Agroecology: Kerala already kick-started a move towards agroecology by adopting an organic farming policy in 2008. (Pinheiro, 2017)

2.4. AGRICULTURE IN ERNAKULAM

The district has a total geographical area of 3,068 Sqkm with high lands, midlands and coastal areas. The district is benefited by both Muvattupuzha river and periyar valley irrigation projects. The soil is predominantly laterite and alluvial with presence of china clay and graphite, enriched with mineral deposits in some pockets. The average yearly rainfall in the district is 3432 mm. Agriculture contributes significantly to the District economy. The eastern part of the district is primarily agrarian in nature and farther eastern part has dense forests with its characteristic fauna and flora. The total cropped area is 2.1 lakh ha, in which the crop Coconut covers – 0.59 lakh ha, Rubber – 0.57 lakh ha, Paddy – 0.25 lakh ha, Banana and other plantains – 0.11 lakh ha, and vegetables – 0.02 ha. The district is having a unique system of paddy cultivation known as Pokkali, wherein saline resistant paddy and prawn are organically cultivated alternatively in fields having standing water with zero inputs. The area under paddy cultivation in the district has been decreasing steadily over the past 3 decades. Ernakulam district is the largest producer of nutmeg and pineapple in the state. Rubber is the most cultivated plantation crop in the district. The sea along the entire coast of the district and the backwaters abound in fish of various kinds offer enormous natural facilities for both marine and inland fisheries. Kochi is an ideal place that supports fisheries in its various aspects including education, research and development.

Socio-economic and technological problem

Ernakulam district has a population of 32.8 lakhs and population density of 1,069 inhabitants per square kilometer. Its population growth rate over the decade was 5.6%. Ernakulam has a sex ratio of 1028 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 95.68%. The district is urbanized 68.07%. Migration of youth has been a factor of declining trend in Agriculture sector in the district. Here youth migration happens from the state to abroad like Gulf countries, Europe and America. This in addition to affecting agriculture sector has social and cultural

issues also. Kerala can be called as an old age home wherein parents are alone in most of the families. The main reason for distracting youth from agriculture is lack of prestige in agriculture profession. Number of enterprising entrepreneurs and labor force engaged in agriculture is coming down, seriously affecting domestic food production. Agricultural development is possible further only through involvement of younger generations. There is increasing concern among general public over the safety of food purchased from market due to the awareness creation of media in recent times. The ill effects of pesticide contamination in vegetables, antibiotic residues in poultry meat, plastic coating on rice etc. Were discussed extensively in recent times. Subsequently concepts of homestead farming and selffood production (Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal husbandry) are getting vide popularity. There are interventions and popularization programs promoted by Government and leading media encouraging farming. However, greatest problems faced by commercial as well as homestead farming are shortage of quality and reliable agro inputs and planting materials, lack of manpower, less knowledge on Good Agriculture practices, lack of assured market for products & value added products and less coverage of support systems. A network of established Agro enterprises including farming by selected youngsters can address the prevailing issues viz., shortage of quality bio inputs and planting materials, lack of manpower, less knowledge on Good Agriculture practices, lack of assured market for products & value added products and less coverage of support systems. Youth migration can also be reduced by giving rise to local employment.(Kvkernakulam.org.in, 2017)

Table 1: Major crops of Ernakulam District

2.5. URBAN AGRICULTURE Urban agriculture can be characterized in short as the developing of plants and the raising of animals inside and around urban areas. The most striking element of urban farming, which differentiates it from rural areas, is that it is coordinated with the urban economy and environmental framework. Agriculture is embedded in -and interacts with- the urban ecosystem. Such linkages incorporate the utilization of urban inhabitants as workers, utilization of urban resources (like organic waste as manure and urban wastewater for water system), direct connection with urban shoppers and tangible effects on urban environment (positive and negative). Urban agriculture isn't a relic of the past that will blur away (urban agriculture increments when the city develops) nor brought to the city by rural migrants. It is an indispensable part of the urban framework. (The RUAF Foundation, 2017) Gardens can be built in an empty lots, on top of buildings, on steep slopes and river banks, all examples of spaces that would otherwise be unproductive. These gardens can use waste water to water their crops, therefore doing away with the issue of waste water treatment. The urban farm could use compost from food scraps in kitchens all over the city, these food scraps might otherwise be thrown away, wasting valuable nutrients. City farms use resources that would have been wasted to produce new resources for the community. They produce food, jobs, and a variety of less quantifiable benefits. (Sprouts in the Sidewalk, 2017) Socially: 

Helps bring families and communities together by working toward a common goal that will be beneficial for all



Gives direct links to food production



Creates better living environment by greening up the city and making it more productive



Makes people stronger by putting their food security into their own hands, making them more independent and empowered



Teaches people life skills such as how to be more self sufficient



Creates jobs, income, and food



Helps combat hunger



Educate people, who have been increasingly removed from food production, to participate in, and respect, its generation (Hamm,1999) Environmentally:



Greens up the city



Can help to clean air and rain water



Helps to stop erosion and topsoil removal



increases the amount of food grown and bought locally, decreasing carbon footprint



Facilitates reuse of wastes for food production



Has direct impacts on urban ecology Economically:



Creates jobs and income from otherwise completely unproductive space



Can be beneficial to people of any income



Creates a better local economy that does not rely on food from far away



Makes use of valuable resources, such as compost, that would otherwise go to waste in a city.

Potential problems with urban agriculture:



Polluted or contaminated soils



Toxic chemicals



Use of water



Theft of produce and breaking laws to plant on some vacant lots

Methods of urban agriculture: 

Rooftop agriculture



Vertical agriculture



community gardening



basket gardening



school gardening



gardening in dangerous places (high tension wires, chemical plants)



vacant lots



container gardening

2.6. HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Figure 10: COMPARISON OF INDIA'S URBAN POPULATION TO THE WORLD (Oecd.org, 2017)

In Kerala 1,74,71,135 persons have been reported living in Rural area (52.30% of

Figure 9 : GROWTH TREND OF POPULATION IN URBAN AREA (Dcmsme.gov.in, 2016)

total population) and 1,59,34,926 (47.70% of total population) live in Urban area.

In 23001, share of urban population was only 25.96%. 68.07% persons in Ernakulam district live in urban. (Dcmsme.gov.in, 2016).

Housing is a basic necessity of human life that comes after food and clothing.

Apart from a roof over our heads, housing has a much more boarder perception.

For a vast majority of the common people, home ownership represents their hopes and dreams for their life and families. A safe and secured home always gives people a strong foundation for every aspect of their lives. Ownership of home is also required for the fulfillment of many other fundamental objectives such as better quality family life, improved educational and health amenities.

Numerical shortage of housing in 2001

Total number of dilapidated Houses in 2001

Housing for newly formed households required

Projected demand at the end of 12thplan (2012-17)

63,000 Units

5,28,000 Units

4,50,000 Units

12,00,000 Units

Figure 11: HOUSING DEMAND (CDP, 2031)

3. CONCLUSION 3.1.CORRELATING URBAN AGRICULTURE WITH HOUSING

In heavily populated cities, where availability of land is a constraint even at the aggregate level, a different approach may be needed to overcome the scarcity of urban space for urban agriculture including developing technologies for vertical farming. In Singapore, Sky Greens, a business venture of entrepreneur Jack Ng produces in its low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical farm, one ton of vegetables every other day and is five to ten times more productive than a regular farm.

Chicago’s ‘Farmed Here’ uses hydroponics systems to produce greens in an abandoned warehouse and provides employment to more than 200 locals.

(Sahasranaman, 2016).

The urban population in India which stands at 377 million is expected to grow by 404 million by 2050 (World Urbanisation Prospects, 2014). The nutritional requirements of this increased urban population have to be met. Also, with growing affluence and increasing nutritional awareness among the city dwellers about nutrition, there will be increased demand for vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, dairy products and even flowers. The direct consumption of food grains has decreased while the demand for food products higher up in the food chain, especially processed food, has gone up in recent years. On the other hand, about 65.5 million people live in urban slums and sprawls.

People living in urban areas have much less control over the supply and quality of the food they consume as compared to the rural population. The food prices, especially those of vegetables, fruits and pulses, which heavily influence the quantum of their intake, are often subject to huge fluctuations due to many factors ranging from the vagaries of the monsoon to spread of diseases to the changes in price of crude oil in the international 4 market and to the changes in policies governing import and export of agricultural commodities. They also have no

control over the use of pesticides and other chemicals used in producing the food, which has serious implications for nutritional value and safety of the food consumed. Instances where farmers grow organic food for their own consumption and insecticide laden produce for sale have been reported. By the time it reaches the urban consumer the food will not be fresh and maybe refrigerated or artificially ripened. Use of chemicals to increase shelf life of the produce is also prevalent. The prevalence of cancer in India is expected to increase from an estimated 3.9 million in 2015 to an estimated 7.1 million people by 2020 (Ernst and Young LLP, 2015).

Urban agriculture will go a long way in addressing these concerns to a great extent. It can provide fresh produce to city dwellers without the need for resource intensive transportation, refrigeration and storage facilities, by reducing the time and distance from farm to fork. Being labour intensive it will also provide jobs and can become a source of income and thus contribute to poverty alleviation.

Urban farming has been found to be particularly helpful for poor women in urban and peri urban areas as it provides a means for meeting their families’ nutritional needs and getting some income as they work near their homes, simultaneously taking care of their families.

Kerala is a continuous ribbon of settlement with no demarcation between urban and rural settlements. Urbanisation is happening at a fast pace and Kerala is expected to become an all urban state in the near future (Sharma, 2004).Kerala’s rice deficit, which was 50 to 55 % from the early fifties to the mid-seventies, is more than 85% now. This has resulted from a consistent reduction of the area under rice cultivation and an increasing population even though at a slow rate (Kannan, 2000). Over the years Kerala shifted its focus to more remunerative and less labour intensive cash crops such as rubber, coconut and banana eventually becoming dependent on import from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka even for vegetables. There has been growing awareness about the health risks associated with pesticide infused food in Kerala. This coupled with the fact that sample tests conducted in laboratories of Kerala revealed high chemical residues in fruits and

vegetables supplied from other states has generated a great interest in organic farming in the state. While the production of grains and pulses is limited by agroclimatic conditions fruits and vegetables can be produced in the state itself.

Kerala’s water situation is also much better than that of many other states.

Individuals as well as self-help groups have started cultivating on rooftops, balconies and backyards. The government of Kerala initiated a Vegetable Development Project to augment vegetable production in the state and the collective farming projects implemented by the government of Kerala’s poverty alleviation programme Kudumbashree brought considerable fallow land back under cultivation financially empowering thousands of women in the process. The production of vegetables in Kerala increased from 8.25 lakh ton in 2011-12, to 13.55 lakh ton in 2014-15 and is expected to increase substantially in the next three years (Kerala State Planning Board, 2015).

For the urban poor it is a means of getting vegetables and fruits which otherwise are beyond their reach and also making a living selling the produce. For others it is a way to deal with the fluctuating prices of vegetables, to consume fresh produce that has not been refrigerated or transported over long distances or to ensure that the food they eat is organic or pesticide free. Then there are some urban farmers for whom horticulture is a hobby.

3.2.INTEGRATED AGRICULTURAL HOUSING The concept of Agro-Housing is a new urban and social vision that will address problems of chaotic urbanization by creating a new order in the city and more specifically, in the housing environment.

Agro-Housing is a program that combines a housing complex with a space for agriculture within the same building or area

the idea behind Agro-Housing is to create a close to home space where families can produce their own food supply according to their abilities and choices. This will allow the citizens more independence, freedom, and additional income.

Benefits of Integrated Agricultural housing:

The main focus of a township development should ensure safety and security that involves in evolution of a healthy township which supports a wholesome living without pollution with certain key concepts.

1. Walkability 2. Connectivity 3. Mixed use and diversity 4. Mixed housing 5. Quality architecture and urban design 6. Traditional neighborhood structure 7. Increased density 8. Quality of life Agricultural and distribution practices have reduced many communities to “food deserts� where healthy, fulfilling food is scarce. Current industrial farming methods used have had unintended consequences on public health, local economies, and substantial negative impacts of the earth’s ecosystems.

Agritecture is one way of challenging the current industrial scale agriculture by bringing food production to urban, local architectural environments.

Helps bring families and communities together by working toward a common goal that will be beneficial for all - Project aims to meet the growing demands for crop cultivation in urban environments.

- To design in a manner in which agriculture can be incorporated in urban living and spaces and that can prove to be recreational, sustainable and profitable.

- To bring about a housing prototype that will work in the urban context and also includes agricultural practices that will adapt to the urban character

4. REFERENCES 1. Dcmsme.gov.in. (2016). STATE PROFILE OF KERALA 2015-16. [online] Available at: http://dcmsme.gov.in/dips/state_wise_dips/state%20profile%20%2008-0715%20combined%20dc.pdf [Accessed 13 May 2018].

2. India.foodsecurityportal.org. (2017). India Food Security Portal. [online] Available at: http://india.foodsecurityportal.org/content/indian-food-demand-and-supply-projections-2030 [Accessed 13 May 2018].

3. Mathew, S. (2018). Towards Agricultural Self-Sufficiency & Prosperity: A People’s Alternative Model from Kerala | Peoples Democracy. [online] Peoplesdemocracy.in.

Available at: http://peoplesdemocracy.in/2017/0702_pd/towards-agricultural-self-sufficiencyprosperity-people%E2%80%99s-alternative-model-kerala [Accessed 13 May 2018].

4. Niti.gov.in. (n.d.). [online] Available at: http://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Kerala_Report_0.pdf [Accessed 13 May 2018].

5. Oecd.org. (2017). OECD Economic Surveys, India, February 2017 : OVERVIEW. [online] Available at: https://www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/INDIA-2017-OECD-economic-surveyoverview.pdf [Accessed 13 May 2018].

6. OFFICIAL WEB PORTAL GOVERNMENT OF KERALA. (2017). ECONOMIC REVIEW 2016. [online] Available at: https://kerala.gov.in/ [Accessed 13 May 2018].

7. Pinheiro, A. (2017). How Kerala is making the transition towards healthy, home-grown food STEPS Centre. [online] STEPS Centre. Available at: https://steps-centre.org/blog/keralamaking-transition-towards-healthy-home-grown-food/ [Accessed 13 May 2018].

8. Sahasranaman, M. (2016). FUTURE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE IN INDIA. [online] Irapindia.org. Available at: http://irapindia.org/images/irap-Occasional-Paper/IRAPOccasionalpaper-10.pdf [Accessed 13 May 2018]

9. Sify. (n.d.). India's projected food supply and demand. [online] Available at: http://www.sify.com/finance/india-s-projected-food-supply-and-demand-imagegallery-otherskgerQTjiebdsi.html [Accessed 13 May 2018].

10. Stratfor. (2018). The Geopolitics of the United States, Part 1: The Inevitable Empire. [online] Available at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/geopolitics-united-states-part-1-inevitableempire [Accessed 13 May 2018].