(545w) Vertical Gardening As Means for Sustainable FOOD Production in FOOD Insecure Urban Communities

The research described seeks to identify guidelines for producing high-nutrient valued plants using sustainable urban and vertical farming techniques in Jefferson County, Alabama, and across the United States to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables to individuals living in food insecure areas. It is suspected that if local water sources, such as roof runoff and pond/lake water, can be used without the addition of fertilizers and pre-treatment chemicals, nutritious fruits and vegetables could be grown sustainably. Our research activity seeks to reduce soil, water, and energy requirements for growing healthy foods for consumption.

Our project’s purpose is to implement sustainable vertical gardening techniques for people living in food insecure areas (areas with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) MMWR 2013 states persons age of 2 years old and older should increase intake of fruits and vegetables, as increasing nutrient-rich foods may decrease chronic disease risk (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc.). A relationship exists between access to healthier foods and overall healthier diets, and lower-income, minority communities which typically have less access to fresh fruits and vegetables and increased negative health outcomes [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013]. Based on the non-thesis report of University of Alabama at Birmingham graduate student (Ashlyn Manzella) using the 2010 census data, approximately 70 percent of Birmingham, Alabama, ZIP codes are located in low-income, low-access areas (food deserts). Over 289,000 Birmingham residents are impacted by these conditions, and the area’s racial breakdown is 65% African-American, 30% white, and 5% other. Encouraging healthier eating habits and providing those with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables, such as community gardens and farm stands, is an important way reduce risks of chronic diseases due to poor diets in these low-access areas [Manzella, 2013].

One way to increase food security and encourage healthier eating is to create urban and community gardens. However, urban and community gardens require significant resources to provide enough food to impact healthy food access for an entire community. Vertical gardens offer a solution for providing fresh produce while reducing the need for land space and potentially water resources. Vertical gardens can increase the productivity yield while minimizing the areal square footage for growing gardens.

This research seeks to demonstrate that vertical gardening techniques using surface waters and collected rainwater produce quantitatively more nutrient-equivalent plants per square foot than traditional gardening techniques.

The research design analyzes water type, usage volume, and growing techniques (hydroponics vs. pyramid vs. raise-bed vs. pallet gardens). Soil will be maintained uniformly throughout the various growing techniques. The gardens are located in a south/southeast orientation and each garden type receives equal amounts of sunlight at the study site.