**[DRAFT]**How this DC University is trying to ‘Close the Loop’ on Food Sustainability
An inside scope on The University of the District of Columbia's Food Hub Model as a feasible climate solution to DC's urban agriculture
As climate change threatens traditional agriculture and urban centers continue to expand, how will cities like Washington, D.C. feed a growing population sustainably?
The University of the District of Columbia’s “Urban Food Hubs” program is seeking to solve this question by leading the charge on sustainable urban agriculture.
“We wanted to turn the campus into a demonstration site of a circular economy that is focused on food systems, food, and agriculture,” said Dr. Sabine O’Hara, architect of the Food Hubs program.
The University of DC (UDC) a historically black university (HBCU) that is composed primarily of commuter students from the DMV area. Although lesser known than other higher education schools in the area, it is important to note that te university stands out as an affordable institution (tuition is less than $9,000) for students seeking high quality education.
One of the unique academic programs at UDC is their College of Agriculture, Sustainability, and Environmental Studies, or CAUSES. Through this college, UDC operates an Urban Food Hubs program which is dedicated to “building capacity across the diverse communities in our city, but especially in the food desert neighborhoods of Washington, D.C.”
There are four different locations, one on UDC’s campus in Ward 3, and others in Ward 5, 7, and in Beltsville, MD. Each food hub produces food through gardens, hydroponics, and aquaponics, and is also the site of agricultural and environmental research.
Traditional agriculture faces challenges that compromise its sustainability. A major concern is unsustainable land usage, which exacerbates rather than solves environmental problems. Another issue like carbon emissions from long-distance food transportation put additional burden on the ecosystem.
Reliance on non-organic agricultural practices frequently involves the use of pesticides and chemicals, pose both health and environmental problems.
Climate change intensifies the challenges faced by traditional agriculture, making it increasingly difficult to grow food in conventional locations due to shifting rainfall patterns, soil degradation, temperature fluctuations, and extreme weather events.
Alongside these agricultural challenges, other non-sustainable aspects of food production contribute to the problem. Water waste is a significant concern at the production end, while food waste occurs at multiple stages—during production, processing, and at the consumer end.
These issues underscore the need for more sustainable and efficient food systems to address the growing environmental impact of current practices in the community.
To remedy this, there is a growing consensus that agriculture should be brought closer to urban centers, taking advantage of existing city spaces. This undertanding allowed the vision of UDC’s Food Hub to take life in 2012.
The four components of the Urban Food Hubs are food production, food preparation, food distribution, and waste and water recovery. Each food hub has all four components, but they fit their neighborhoods and spaces differently
They are designed to not only provide access to fresh food, but also to create jobs, improve public health, mitigate water management problems, and create urban resiliency
PULL QUOTE: from Dr. O’Hara
The Urban Food Hubs demonstrate the investment metropolitan universities could make to ensure the long-term economic, social, and environmental health of each community.
UDC's approach to food production utilizes various spaces for sustainable agriculture. These include green roofs that maximize urban space for farming, greenhouses equipped with hydroponic systems to grow plants without soil, and greenhouse aquaponics which combines aquaculture with hydroponics to create a symbiotic environment.
The green roofs also help with water collection and water recovery inititives via the permeable roofs that serve as rain cathers. Thus, almost no drinking water is needed for any of the food production and gardens on site — it all comes from rain.
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Community engagement is fostered through community gardens, encouraging local participation and education in urban farming practices. These initiatives demonstrate UDC's commitment to exploring diverse and sustainable methods of food production within an urban setting.
The Food Hub extends beyond food production to encompass food processing and distribution as well. The university supports local food systems through a farmers market, providing a platform for local producers to sell their goods directly to the community.
Furthermore, UDC's community garden has made a significant impact, with an impressive 591 pounds of food donated this past year.
The Food Hub also utilizes a food truck to provide food throughout the city.
To an everyday passerby on UDC’s campus, it is not immediately apparent where the Food Hub is. That’s because the Food Hub is not confined to just one rooftop, one greenhouse, or one garden -- it’s completely integrated within UDC’s urban campus, making use of spaces that already existed.
The Food Hub has exceeded expextions and has served as a real solution to the urban agriculture challenges in DC.