Micro farming
On this page, we will be seeing how important it is to use micro-farming
in Ethiopia and what should be considered when choosing vacant land in urban
areas. We know that Ethiopia is a green land country, so we are also
considering climate conditions, self-preservation, and things relating to
governmental rules are also considered.
The difference between sustainable farming which is also called
self-sufficient farming and commercial farming area is also discussed later in
this page. The market and cost-related matters are also discussed in this study
what is the potential market, available market, target market, and penetrated
market are also discussed in this project.
Micro farms can still produce enough food for self-sufficient living.
You can be self-sufficient on an acre (0.405 hectares), or less. Urban
homesteading is becoming increasingly popular. So, if you have an acre or more,
then you will learn that small-scale farming on micro farms is just as viable
as those farms that have more land. It isn't the size of the land that counts
it is how efficiently you use the land.
Sustainable farming
Sustainable farming means that whatever is farmed, raised, and grown on
the farm is consumed by the farm dwellers themselves. They are living off the
land and providing all the food they need for their consumption. In other
words, they are pretty much self-sufficient when it comes to what they eat.
Therefore, you will often hear of farming and self-sufficiency farming being
used interchangeably as they are the same. The land size that they own is
usually, but not always fairly small, by comparison to the more commercially
oriented farmers. Thus, you will often hear these small farms referred to as
mini farms or micro-farms.
Commercial farming, on the other hand, is where crops are grown, and
cattle are raised to make some money. Not that farming is a lucrative, get-rich
business; it is not, but by being a commercial farmer one farm has a
ready-known market, the knowledge of what current prices is for crops, and
what nice market will bear them a profit, both now and in the future.
Climate conditions
Several interesting institutional considerations have an impact on
conditions favorable to urban farming in our Country.
Our city of ours has committed itself to be the greenest in the world by
2020 with Local Food Systems and Green Economy Capital being two of ten areas
of focus to achieve this goal.
This ambitious plan could be well served by the activities of urban
farmers. The Ethiopian Food Policy will play a key role in ensuring the City's
Local Food Systems goal – Increase city and neighborhood food assets by a
minimum of 50% over 2010 levels– are achieved.
Urban farming is a regular topic of discussion for the Food Policy
Council which now has an urban farming external working group.
Regional Food Systems Strategy recognizes urban food production as an
important contributor to regional food security. The report requests that
municipalities develop the necessary policies and zoning by-laws needed to
increase the supply of urban-grown food and establish a formal organization to
support urban farming.
Give recognition to homeowners to keep chickens in their yards and has a
supportive policy for urban beekeeping. These policies will be important
precedents in developing urban farming zoning and business license designations
that currently do not exist and thus put severe limitations on the growth of
urban farming in our country.
While growing food in the city is not illegal, selling it usually is.
Residential areas are not zoned for agricultural use and the city has no
business license designation for urban farmers or market gardeners. However,
urban farmers selling only at farmers’ markets would be covered under the
market's business license.