Urban rooftop farms take root above Hong Kong
In the unlikeliest of places, above a 14-storey industrial building’s rooftop, in Hong Kong island’s eastern district of Quarry Bay, a patch of green stands out. It is local entrepreneur Osbert Lam’s rooftop farm.
Lam turned his back on the rat race five years ago and has since turned his passion project into a viable business. His farm, though modest – less than a quarter of a football pitch in size – has 500 planter boxes, each available for rent at S$30 a month and capable of producing up to 14 kilograms of vegetables a year.
Said Lam,
“We can grow crops all year round, that’s the advantage of a sub-tropical climate. You have more selection in the winter time, less options in summer time, but you can still grow about 30 to 40 different crops in the summer, melons, squash and beans and herbs as well.”
There are no official figures in Hong Kong for such rooftop farms, as there is no licence needed to set one up in this special administrative region. But it is estimated that there are some 300 urban farming projects across the territory.
These urban farmers, though unlicenced, do have the tacit support of the Hong Kong government. The authorities themselves have completed more than 50 roof-greening projects in government-owned buildings and schools, with another 25 projects underway.
For many green-fingered enthusiasts, it is respite from the city’s crowded streets. For the government, it is about taking urban spaces and meeting social needs, like the Ko Shan Cantonese Opera Theatre in Kowloon. Its third-floor garden is open to the public for recreational use, and boasts a variety of indigenous plants and trees.
Whatever their reasons – to eat organic, to reconnect with the environment, for fun and relaxation, or to help reduce the carbon footprint – it seems the sky is the limit with urban farming in Hong Kong.
(All images - credit: Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence)
