Virginia State University Scientists granted more than half a million dollars to help solve food insecurity through urban “Micro Farms”

The funds will be used to purchase a modular micro farm, known as a cropbox, that will be suitable for growing vegetables, herbs and micro greens.

Brunswick Times Gazette
Apr 16, 2021

Excerpt:

Virginia State University (VSU) is a leader in urban agriculture in Virginia and will help the nation in addressing food insecurity with a $600,000 grant to explore micro farms as a potential solution to food deserts in urban neighborhoods.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently awarded the grant to Dr. Leonard Githinji, project director and sustainable and urban agriculture Cooperative Extension specialist at VSU.

“Micro farms are small-scale farms suitable for urban areas where agricultural land is scarce. These farms maximize the use of space and produce higher crop yields per unit area,” Githinji said.

It is estimated that 80% of the United States’ population lives in urban areas where space for farming is limited.

The funding will help build VSU’s capacity to provide comprehensive education on micro farming. “Currently there is a lack of systematic education on micro-farming at VSU,” Githinji said. “Developing a comprehensive program will help us educate others on the best practices for micro farms.”

More than 11% of the nation’s population and 10% of Virginia’s population are reported to be food insecure, a situation that is likely to worsen as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food systems continues to unfold, he added. Residents in food insecure areas, commonly known as food deserts, have little or no access to fresh, affordable and nutritious food, and often have higher instances of chronic diseases, such as obesity, due to poor diets.

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