Rooftop Gardening for Enhanced Food Security and Nutrition: A Case Study from Urban India

Abstract

India is projected to become the world's most populous nation by 2050, amid challenges of rapid urbanization and the conversion of agricultural land. This has increased demand for safe, nutritious food in cities. Rooftop gardening has emerged as a strategy to enhance food security, nutritional access, and urban sustainability. This study presents a survey and intervention on rooftop gardening among residents of Lucknow district, India (2016–17 to 2021–22). Data were collected using structured interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study highlights the importance of rooftop gardening from the perspectives of ecosystem services and nutritional security, emphasizing its potential to be popularized in urban areas through outreach programmes, capacity building initiatives, and supportive policy interventions. The intervention, involving training capacity building through training, demonstration and other extension services, significantly increased adoption (from 6% to 30%) and improved household access to fresh vegetables, contributing to dietary diversity. Results highlighted substantial socio-economic benefits, including women's empowerment (55% involvement) and economic savings, alongside environmental benefits. However, adoption was constrained primarily by a lack of technical knowledge. The study underscores the potential of rooftop gardening as a component of urban food systems and emphasizes the need for supportive outreach and policy interventions to overcome key barriers.