We produce in a city, and we consume in the same city. A self-sufficient model, to reduce unnecessary handling and transportation, and to increase sustainability of our cities.
Expertise
Student work
We are all under pressure of energy transformation, food security, carbon footprint and nitrogen reduction. The traditional economical form cannot sustain our society and our planet; we must change or be changed. We all know what we shouldn’t do in the future, but what is the right approach? The second-year Logistics students from BUas have given us an alternative: Urban farming. We produce in a city, and we consume in the same city. A self-sufficient model, to reduce unnecessary handling and transportation, and to increase sustainability of our cities.
Two groups of logistics students participated in Urban Farming research part of the Living Lab Breda project. The main driver behind this project is to create a green and sustainable future for all. Urban Living Lab Breda is a non-profit community organization working with residents of all ages aiming to achieve new solutions in terms of sustainability, accessibility, and a healthy life for the citizens of an urban society such as Breda.
Our students investigated the production and distribution of nuts and strawberries in Breda. Rob de Groot, one of the urban farming initiators is ambitious to create a food forest outside Breda. Students dove into the nuts production and its handling process and established a sustainable logistics system for urban food production. In the meantime, another group of students were invited by urban farming partner—Curio, to design an urban distribution channel for their pilot strawberry production in Breda.
On 23 June 2022, summer festival “Parels van Breda” was organized by a colleague from BUas—Marc Holvoet from Urban Living Lab. Our students were invited to demonstrate their research results and interact with public audiences. The students were very motivated to explain what urban farming can do for us, as it not only reduces unnecessary transportation and handling, but also increases sustainable awareness for citizens. Food is not produced in factories, they are alive, and growing from soil. Reducing food waste and organizing logistic activities are already a great way to reduce energy consumption and green gas emission. We firmly believe all changes start with awareness!
