Urban Agriculture Hub Tokha, Kathmandu

Abstract

Agriculture is an important key to human development. The social bond that has grown between agriculture and humans from the early stages of human evolution is weakening. The natural resources that are now available to us, the state of the climate, the density of the population, and their needs have all altered significantly. However, in thousands of years, agriculture hasn't altered all that much. We continue to travel over vast agricultural land, apart from the people who consume it. In the context of Kathmandu valley, urban and peri-urban agriculture have been practiced from ancient time and traditional way of life. Like many other cities across the world, Kathmandu is driving the natural world and agriculture farther away from the city. The valley's economics, ecology, and public health are seriously threatened by the present unsustainable agricultural system, which also involves a large volume of food imports and improper use of chemicals during food preparation. The economy can no longer support it due to factors including urbanization, crop failures, population expansion, and environmental changes. The only way to address food crises and future food security in a sustainable manner is to establish a farm and research facility adjacent to the communities they service. Given the sharp decline in the amount of land for agriculture available and the current demand for food, indoor vertical farming may be a preferable option to the traditional agricultural system currently in use. Therefore, the project emphasizes symbiosis of agriculture and architecture through modern agricultural systems to reconnect people with nature and solve major issues of food crisis at the same time.