Chennai Urban Horticulture and Rooftop Gardening Initiative December

Chennai Urban Horticulture and Rooftop Gardening Initiative December 2019

Objectives Utilize 1000 s of acres of rooftops to scale-up vegetable gardening through a citywide strategy involving stakeholders such as State Government departments, NGOs, Corporates and Resident Welfare Associations, in order to increase green cover, combat urban heat, conserve water, reduce waste, promote health and nutrition, generate livelihoods, improve civic consciousness and participation, and build resilience. Encourage students of Corporation Schools to take up vegetable gardening and rooftop farming in order to promote a value-based education and supplement the Govt of Tamil Nadu’s Nutritious Meal Program; Support livelihood generation, skills development and social cohesion of vulnerable groups, particularly through the empowerment of women. Conduct training and awareness programs to educate citizens on the benefits of Urban Horticulture and associated practices such as composting, waste segregation, rainwater harvesting and citizen participation in resolving civic issues.

Linkages Public Awareness & Participation Water Conservation Urban gardening, in various shapes and forms, is prevalent across the world and research on such efforts have proved the multiple benefits of such initiatives for a city’s environment, its people, and their quality of life. Livelihood Generation/ Skill Development Waste Management URBAN HORTICULTURE LINKAGES Urban Heat Reduction Nutrition & Food Security Green Energy

Implementation Phases 1 2 3 START-UP | 3 months (Jan-March 2020) We will begin by establishing, monitoring and evaluating three model farms in three govt. run Corporation Schools and one Integrated Child Development Services Center (Anganwadi). These model gardens will involve waste segregation (‘Trashonomics’ curriculum), composting, and drip irrigation and will be used as educational laboratories to build-in civic and environmental consciousness regarding effective solid waste management and water conservation amongst school children. Women with training and knowledge of horticulture from the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW) will be engaged to maintain these gardens. EARLY IMPLEMENTATION | 9 months (April-Dec 2020) In this next phase, the rooftop gardening efforts will be scaled up to include at least 15 Corporation schools, 15 Anganwadis and 15 Residential Welfare Associations (RWAs) across the 15 zones of Chennai city. SCALING | 4 years (2021 -24) Once proof of concept is established the initiative will be scaled-up to remaining 263 Corporation schools and 185 wards of the city. We will continue to explore the possibility of encouraging other public institutions (such as homeless shelters maintained by Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) or the resettlement colonies maintained by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) and private partners (such as the corporate offices) to implement urban horticulture and rooftop gardens on premises.

Key Benefits & Challenges

Benefits of Urban Horticulture Food and nutrition security: Growing fruit and vegetables in and around cities increases the supply of fresh, nutritious produce and improves the urban poor’s economic access to food. Sustainable livelihoods: UH provides livelihoods that are resilient to economic downturns and food price hikes, and contribute to cities’ economic development. Safe, clean environment: Linking waste management to horticulture helps to keep the urban environment clean, reduce health hazards and boost production of fresh food. It also lowers temperature and reduces the need to transport produce, thereby saving fuel and lowering CO 2 emissions. In El Alto, Bolivia (70% poverty) 500 families were trained to grow a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, medicinal plants and fruits in small, low-cost greenhouses. The result was a general improvement in child nutrition (one in five were malnourished) and family savings of US$30, which was spent on eggs and meat. In Dakar, Senegal micro-gardens are popular with women. 35% of produce is kept for home use, while the rest is sold. Typical income from a family micro- garden of 10 sq. m. ranges from US$15 - 30 a month. In Cairo, Egypt, rooftops planted with vegetables are 7 C cooler than next door. UPH = Urban & peri-urban horticulture (FAO)

Case study: Kerala In 2011, 35, 000 families were part of a novel project launched by the State Horticulture Mission-Kerala (SHM-K) under the Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters (VIUC), a project launched by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and funded by the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Beneficiaries were selected through residents’ associations. Each household was provided with 25 grow bags and potting mixture. More than 15 lakh high-yielding seedlings of tomato, chilli, amaranthus, cluster beans, brinjal, cabbage and cauliflower were supplied to the families. Organic manure and biocontrol agents for pest management were provided along with a handbook in Malayalam and training programmes by the Agriculture Department. Most families generate 500 g to one kg of each vegetable every two days, enough to meet the domestic requirement. Excess produce is given away free or sold to the neighbourhood. 2, 000 farmers’ groups in the suburbs are part of the VIUC. The Kerala State Horticultural Products Development Corporation has a buy-back arrangement with these clusters. About 3, 000 kg of vegetables are procured daily from the farmers and sold through Horticorp’s retail outlets. A few private apartment buildings have gone step further by integrating rooftop cultivation of vegetables with kitchen waste conversion to organic manure. “The primary objective of the project is to enhance the production of pesticide-free vegetables through organic methods. Terrace gardens are the natural choice in an urban environment where space is at a premium. ” -- K. Prathapan, Director, SHM-K Source: The Hindu – Eden on the roof, full of greens

Key Project Challenges Civic consciousness levels are relatively low for Chennai; The challenge is to drive a behaviour change. Infrastructure challenges: Most roofs for housing apartments in Chennai are permeable, adding to the complexity of maintaining a roof garden. Terrace surface water-proofing, drip irrigation systems and heat protection will also have to be explored. Modular Garden Kit: Determining what constitutes an effective garden startup kit that contains all the essentials. Water shortage/quality: Chennai does not have a stable monsoon. Dry spells from Jan - May may lead to challenges in maintaining rooftop gardens. Incentivising homeowners to water the garden in dry spells can be a challenge. Water quality in certain localities is poor due to salt water intrusion, ground water pollution. Residential Associations: To get the buy-in of the residential associations is key. The challenge is to understand how these associations will respond to this idea, as well as their willingness to install the necessary equipment. Further, implementation may be affected by opposition from some members in a locality. Support & Guidance: Crop failure through lack of expert guidance, poor

Citizen & Government Support

Survey Insights To gauge interest amongst Chennai residents in an urban horticulture initiative, an online survey consisting of 18 questions, targeted towards the lower/middle income groups, was conducted. 61% 83% 72% Residents who currently garden at least once a week Residents who would like to maintain a terrace garden Residents who identify as needing training on terrace gardening 5 out of 6 Sample size: 304 Residents would prefer to spend time growing produce instead of shopping for vegetables at the local market

Greater Chennai Corporation Education Department Commitment to schools Greater environmental awareness Respects tradition Health and nutrition Increases social responsibility An increase in overall interest in learning Children understand “Farm to Table” journey of food Segregation of waste in schools

Greater Chennai Corporation Solid Waste Management Department Draft solid waste management by-laws ensure composting practiced across the city. Households will be expected to segregate and store the waste generated by them in three separate streams: biodegradable, non biodegradable and domestic hazardous wastes in suitable bins. All resident welfare and market associations, gated communities and institutions with more than 5, 000 sqm. area and hotels and restaurants will have to ensure source segregation of waste and provide for composting or bio-methanisation within the premises as much as possible. Stricter enforcement expected.

Recommended Approach

Recommendation #1: Focus on developing adoption through targeted segments

The 2030 goal is to influence 2. 5 million citizens by driving adoption in specific segments, using a phased approach. TARGET SEGMENTS: 1. Government Corporation Schools* 2. Integrated Child Development Services (Anganwadis)* 3. Private Schools 4. Corporate Sector 5. Localities in Wards through RWAs* Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 *Funding required

Government Corporation Schools There are 281 Chennai Corporation Schools catering to 83, 151 children (Girls: 41160; Boys: 41991). The Chennai Resilience Center (CRC) will target building 2000 sq. ft. model farms in 15 schools approved by the GCC. These will be linked to the ‘Trashonomics’ programme already initiated in 3 schools to introduce children to solid waste management. The programme will also use this educational route and the ‘Horti Clubs’ (formed by the Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops) to involve parents of children in the UH programme. Phase 2 will involve setting up and maintaining 15 model farms. CRC will work towards identification of partners to co-fund Phase II with the government and scale up operations in Phase 3. One possible avenue could be to access CSR funds via the “Adopt a school” programme. This ‘Adopt a school’ program can potentially help schools to cover larger areas within the schools for greening activities and to expand the scope of the UH initiative to include rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling, Solar power etc. Another key aspect of the school project will be to use this to encourage roof top/kitchen gardens in students’ homes to enable mothers to access supplementary income and/or increase the heath quotient of the food served at home. Eventually, CRC hopes to involve all 281 corporation schools to become a part of the UH program. Pic: The Hindu File Photo

Integrated Child Development Services – Anganwadis A typical Anganwadi center provides supplementary nutrition, non-formal pre-school education, nutrition and health education, immunization, health check-up and referral services of which the last three are provided in convergence with public health systems. Chennai has 1336 Anganwadi centers catering to children under 6 years. CRC intends to begin by creating one model UH Kitchen garden in Perumbakkam and connect it to the Anganwadi center (this will be guided by the feasibility report). In Phases II & III, CRC will explore the possibility of scaling up existing operations in vulnerable communities, by linking up with 15 Anganwadis, beginning with those already established in the resettlement colonies. The scaling up of the kitchen gardens to all the 1336 Anganwadi centers will happen through a combination of funds from foundations in the Health and Nutrition space, CSR from Corporates also in the same space, and Government funding through various Government schemes like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme and National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). Pic: The Hindu File Photo

Private Schools There are over 700 Private schools in the city. The UH initiative in private schools is part of CRC’s Phase -3 approach. These schools do not need funding to set up roof top (or onthe-ground) vegetable gardens. However, incentives from the Government and expert advice and support from relevant agencies to set up and maintain the gardens for them could encourage private schools to enthusiastically participate in the UH program. As in the case of the Government schools, the route to seed the UH initiative is via the Trashonomics programme. CRC will also use the UH programme to encourage these schools to adopt Solar, RWH and Wastewater recycling. Since PTA meetings are more likely to be regularly held in these schools CRC, through a series of programmes, will involve the parents in the UH initiative and encourage roof top gardens at home. Pic: The Hindu File Photo

Corporate Sector The Madras Chamber of Commerce (the premium chamber of commerce in Chennai established in 1836) alone has over 606 Corporates registered with them. The IT company Cognizant alone has over 60, 000 employees working in Chennai. These numbers highlight the great opportunity that Chennai’s corporate sector presents. The strategy here is to get IT Majors and Automotive manufacturers to adopt the UH programme by using Hydroponics/ Solar in the Corporate offices and encouraging all employees to adopt roof top vegetable gardens and Solar Kits at home. The Starter kit for the employees can be sourced from the Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops or via Amazon/Flipkart. Funding is not required here, but incentives in the form of tax breaks or special tariffs for Electricity and/or water could encourage more people to adopt the program. Pic: HCL Office Sholinganallur

Localities in 200 Wards through the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) Run a targeted social media campaign to get RWAs to sign up for the programme and encourage their residents to adopt the Roof Top Garden Initiative in their households. CRC may consider appointing a celebrity like veteran actress Jyothika, as a brand ambassador, having starred in hit Tamil film 36 Vayadhinile in 2015, a movie about a 36 -year old woman entrepreneur who champions home grown organic produce to support her catering business. Jyothika is also the current ambassador for a ‘Plastic Free Tamil Nadu’, appointed by the current Chief Minister of the State. The strategy here will be to use social media and direct contact with registered RWAs to get citizens to raise their hands and state they want to be a part of this movement. A survey done by the Chennai Resilience team among 300+ citizens in 2017 revealed that 80% of them were willing to set up a roof top garden. CRC will target a rate of 20% adoption in Phase-3 amongst Chennai citizens, reaching out to approximately 1. 7 million people. Pic: Chennai Citizens Matters /TAKSRA

Recommendation #2: Offer different tiers of garden setup to promote wide adoption

ROOFTOP GARDEN KIT What components should a successful terrace garden kit contain, considering costs, Chennai climate and rooftop conditions? Drip Irrigation IRRIGATION Rainwater Harvesting Panchakavya m FERTILISER/ PEST CONTROL CROP S Seed Packets Neem Oil Grow Rolls GROWING MEDIUM CONTAINER S Smart Bins ROOF PREP Grow Bags Potting Soil Water Proofing Paint Shade Nets

Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Kits Garden Tiers For individual houses and small flats Kits produced by TN Horticulture Dept. Modular Garden Kit ordered online and delivered to doorstep through tie-ups with Amazon/Flipkart Turn-Key Gardens For large apartment complexes Full set-up performed, including roof prep if required Maintenance not included. Contract Gardens For schools and commercial complexes Full set-up and daily maintenance.

Recommendation #3: Build awareness to create a citizens movement

Activities Launch a Chennai Mottai Madi Thottam (Rooftop Garden) Website. Run a social media campaign (potential audience reach estimated as ranging from 100 k – 2. 8 M per day at Rs. 45, 000 daily ad spend on Facebook, Instagram and FB Platform partners). Appoint celebrity ambassadors and release You. Tube promos on the initiative. Conduct site visits to Model Rooftop Farms for the public. Run Kit promotions and demos in locality parks. Start a Rooftop Garden Farmers’ Market. Garner support from English & Vernacular press.

Recommendation #4: Build resilience in vulnerable groups

UHI - Implications for building community resilience Offering a new skill set and employment opportunity to low-income groups Ensure food security Keep youngsters engaged in productive work keeping them away from neighborhood ailments Help improve mental health Empowering the most vulnerable- women, youth, people with mental disabilities TNCDW, Nungambakkam, Chennai

Urban Horticulture in Homeless Shelters and Prisons Besant Nagar Shelter for Girls Prisoners working on Puzhal Prison Farm

Opportunities for introducing urban horticulture for Chennai’s informal settlements or resettlement colonies Developed slums/unobjectionable slums will be viable options as eviction would not be a concern. Will offer a face lift for the settlements and will contribute to address stigma and criminalization of these settlements. Existing groups in communities like SHGs, children Sangams are potential groups who may be engaged. In homeless shelters for persons with psychosocial disabilities/persons with disabilities, horticulture will be a form of therapy contributing to the rehabilitation process. In resettlement sites, more activities in public (in this case in the form of urban gardening) mean increased safety for women and children. Perumbakkam

Partnering for Progress

Partners The TN Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops to co -lead the initiative and provide guidance and support as well as subsidies, where required. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to co-lead and implement in Corporation Schools and coordinate with RWAs. The Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW) and Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSCD) to provide trained staff where required. Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) for implementation in low income group settlements. Chennai Smart Cities Mission for alignment with their Smart Schools project.

Partners Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) for Solar roofs. Care Earth Trust for project management. Information and Resource Center for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC). NGOs like Indra Gardens, My Harvest and Local Nurseries involved in horticulture. Rain Centre for RWH guidance. Tie up with Amazon/Flipkart to deliver elements of the Rooftop Vegetable Garden to the households such as Drip irrigation systems, Seed packets, Grow Rolls, Grow Baskets.

THE VISION We see a Chennai where every terrace has a vegetable garden. Where concrete spaces blossom into green spaces cooling the city. Growing Resilience Gardens: The 2050 Vision Where rainwater harvesting results in mitigating the effects of water scarcity. Where our citizens learn to be responsible for their city and start believing that they too can make a positive difference. Where the social fabric and wellbeing of our most vulnerable are nurtured and strengthened. Where we work together and join hands to create a better, more livable, more inclusive RESILIENT Chennai!

The Urban Horticulture Initiative resonates strongly with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.