A country needs 25 per cent of its total area under forest, and Bangladesh has far less than that. This adds to the effect of global warming. Among the measures environmentalists urge to keep the earth's temperature normal is rooftop farming.
Rooftop farming is not only needed to protect the balance of the environment; it also adds beauty and can be a source of extra income. With prices rising, many people are growing a range of vegetables to meet their nutritional needs, and winter vegetables such as bottle gourd, beans and tomatoes are now thriving in rooftop gardens.
According to the Agriculture Information Service (AIS), food scientists advise an adult to eat 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day. Of this, leafy vegetables should make up 110 grams, flower, fruit and stem vegetables 85 grams, root vegetables 85 grams and fruit 110 grams.
Why people are turning to rooftops
Many people do not eat this much, however, and balanced food is especially scarce in the diet of the younger generation. The low share of vegetables is not only a matter of money: many cannot meet their nutritional needs because safe, fresh vegetables are hard to find.
So many people are growing vegetable gardens in their yards to get fresh produce. That is possible in villages, but in towns and cities space is a problem, so many are turning their rooftops into hobby gardens instead and, because they are relatively easy, planting winter vegetable seedlings.
With vegetables close at hand, everyone will be keen to eat them, especially when they are fresh. But many people hesitate to start a rooftop garden because they fear damage to the roof plaster. In that case, growing vegetables in large tubs is much safer.
What to grow
Winter crops such as tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, lettuce, bottle gourd leaves and bean plants can easily be grown in tubs. People take great care of a garden they have made with their own hands, and, being health-conscious, they choose natural organic fertiliser over chemicals.
This adds to green cover and helps reduce global warming, and it keeps homes in the city cooler. Along with the extra income, eating nutritious vegetables you have grown yourself brings a special feeling. So this winter, set up a vegetable garden on the roof of your building.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
Comments
(0)