Lessons from the past for a more resilient food future

Added on 24 August 2022

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Coining the term "agritecture" Henry Gordon-Smith explains the art, science, and business of integrating agriculture into urban spaces. Showcasing examples through history of how cities and countries promoted resilience to global crises by leveraging technological advances, Henry describes how involving more young people in collective urban agriculture efforts can unlock new opportunities for cities to adapt and thrive sustainably.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxThoughtForFood, an independent event. Read more about TEDx.

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Let's begin with a question: how many of you know how to grow your own food?

If you have the special ability to select seeds, plant, and care for them, please raise your hand.

Usually, when I ask this question, not many hands are raised. Unfortunately, most of us have lost our knowledge of food production. It's not completely our fault, but it is our responsibility to understand why we have lost this age-old ability and why it's important to restore it broadly across society. Especially when we collectively face an existential threat like climate change.

My name is Henry Gordon-Smith and I have spent the last decade studying urban agriculture around the world.