by Zhu Ningzhu (editor), English, news.cn, November 20, 2013

Farmers help villager Peng Qiugen harvest rice on the roof of Peng’s house which had been converted into a rice field at Qilin Village of Shaoxing City
Source: www.news.cn

Hangzhou (Xinhua) — In Chinese language, most farmers go “down” to the field to harvest crops, but one farmer from an eastern village in China goes “up” to the roof to reap rice.

Peng Qiugen, a “landless” farmer who transferred his land to a gardening company seven years ago, just harvested over 100 kg of rough rice on his 120-square-meter rooftop this week.

“My greatest wish is to save more land for China by promoting rooftop farming to more households,” Peng told Xinhua.

He calculated that a roof as large as his, if used for growing vegetables, can meet the daily demands of 20 people.

In Peng’s village, Qilin in east China’s Zhejiang Province, most farmers have circulated their land to scale planting individuals and companies in exchange for a steady income and an opportunity to try out other jobs that would presumably bring more economic gains.

Some have become factory workers, others have started businesses. For Peng, he has tried both and more, saying, “I accept any jobs within my ability that can improve the living conditions for my family.”

A wealthier material life, however, has never changed his passion for land and farming.

When he started to build his four-story house in 2006, he thought about transforming the roof into a piece of arable land.

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by JULIE MARIAPPAN, Times News Network, September 23, 2013

CHENNAI: The soaring price of vegetables has caused much heartburn, but people in the state may soon get their greens for free.

If the state government has its way, residents could soon be plucking fresh vegetables from their own rooftop gardens. As part of the plan to soften the blow of food inflation, the government will distribute do-it-yourself rooftop garden kits to residents.

Encouraged by a few individuals who have responded to rising prices by growing vegetables on their balconies, the government plans to introduce the scheme in Chennai and Coimbatore to begin with.

“The opportunity to beat rising prices by growing vegetables at home has led to people trying their luck with gardening. The government wants to chip in with support,” a horticulture officer said. The horticulture department will roll out the scheme with support from Tamil Nadu Agriculture University.

People interested can apply online and the government will supply them with 20 UV stabilised 200 micron thickness polythene bags, 15kg of coir pith and manure, seeds for vegetables and greens, besides instruments, organic fertiliser and a 20sqm polythene sheet. It will make 20 bags available for each person at a subsidised price. Indian Overseas Bank offers loans to individuals for rooftop gardening.

[Read more…]