Songshan Happiness Farm: every inch of land is precious; Urban Farming Network calls for policy support and expansion

In the tightly packed urban districts of Taipei, China, where every inch of land is precious, a group of people have become urban farmers, growing edible vegetables and fruits on vacant lots beside their homes and turning urban open space in prime locations into small farms for local residents. The "Urban Farming Network" held an urban farming press conference yesterday (the 9th), hoping to put into practice the ideal of "farming requires land, and urban farmers can improve the urban fabric" and to continue its activity of "calling on mayoral candidates."

The press conference was held on the busy, high-rise-lined Guangfu South Road in Songshan District, Taipei, China. But as soon as you turn into Lane 32 of Guangfu South Road, you can see an entire "Happiness Farm" planted with all kinds of vegetables and fruits. "Happiness Farm" covers about 500 ping and is divided with wooden boards into 168 plots of about half a ping each, where residents of Fujianli in Songshan District grow all kinds of vegetables and fruits.

At "Happiness Farm," the Urban Farming Network put forward four major demands to the city government and mayoral candidates: first, it hopes the future government will recognize farming as a life right that citizens of advanced cities should have, promote urban citizen gardens in all communities, and secure permanent or semi-permanent land for urban gardens.

The second demand is for the city government to support all departments in drafting policy plans conducive to promoting urban farming; the third is for the city government to create a friendly policy environment and encourage young people to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship related to urban agriculture; the fourth is that the Urban Farming Network hopes the city government will refer to the experience of progressive cities and actively promote legislation and legal amendments related to urban farming.

No mayoral candidate attended yesterday's press conference, but Taipei City Councilor Chen Lihui, who is also chairperson of the Fujian Community Development Association, has watched Happiness Farm go from a vacant lot to today's space full of vegetables and fruits as a local resident. She therefore called on mayoral candidates to support urban farming, greening the concrete jungle, and incorporating the concept of urban farming into future policy planning.

Lin Kunxin, a candidate for chief of Fujianli, said that if he has the opportunity to be elected chief in the future, he will spare no effort in promoting urban farming.

From "Taipei Good Looking" to "Happiness Farm": residents participate enthusiastically