Fellow farmers

Urban Farming International Design Summer School 2014 Shanghai

The PEOPLE

Urban Farming was the theme this year for IDSS 2014.

Taking Shanghai as background, the focus was on the transformation of traditional crafts with use of modern technology and open design process. The workshop aimed at exploring ways to preserve and input new value to farming crafts combined with the clean technology and distributed manufacture.

With students from 3 different countries taking part, the context of the topic differed too.

Zurich

Xianquiao

Even before the workshop project started, it was very necessary to understand the perception of the topic in at least these three countries:

Shanghai Ahmedabad

Switzerland India China

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Understanding Urban Farming in India

Research

Communtiy farming done at a Children’s home in TATA Cancer hospital in Kharghar

The groundwork for the workshop started way before we reached Shanghai. It was crucial to study the current scenario in India first. With such large population and with other factors like space crunch, Urban Farming has been present and practised in various forms across the country. Few of the places vistied in Mumbai gave me an insight into this topic and a better understanding about the activity.

Terrace Farming International Design Summer School 2014

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Small < 200 - 300 sq ft

Medium 300 - 700 sq ft

Large > 1000 - 1200 sq ft

HYDROPONICS

Individual farms

RURAL VERTICAL GARDENING

URBAN PERMACULTURE

Intersection of traditional methods & modern technolgy

Community farms

Terrace farming, Kitchen farming

Not consultancy

Individual approach

They teach the basics

Food ownership: individual

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more of a voluntary activity

The investment is more SQUAREFOOT FARMING Flat systems

More people are involved More varieties

Food sustainability Connecting the resources

The initial research work done and the subsequent understanding reflected in an infographic form

Availability of resources

NO PROFIT

Micro/ Macro level operations

Time and Space availability

not aware about the resources

Food production

SELF INITIATIVE

Lack of awareness about the topic

other activities: orgainc food

Space crunch/ time management

Benefits: physical & psychological

International Design Summer School 2014

Some are a part of organic purchasing but not interested in urban farming

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Understanding Urban Farming in China Trip to Chongming Island On the first three days of the workshop, we were taken to Chongming island to help us undertand the traditional Chinese techniques and crafts.

Design Harvests is one such organization in Shanghai province that conducts various activities aiming at sensitizing City dwellers towards farming

workshops for children

Sowing and reaping

International Design Summer School 2014

Workshops regarding different farming activities

Shanghai

Urban Farming

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Lectures organized by DESIGN HARVESTS International Design Summer School 2014

Bamboo weaving workshop Shanghai

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Initial Approach

#1

MOBILE URBAN FARMING

Our first approach was to create a gadget for urban farmers that they could take with them while traveling.

This would support urban famers in their access to fresh food even on vacation. Extracts from the research results can be found below:

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Inspiration

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#2

GLOBAL URBAN FARMING NETWORK

After several discussions with the faculties and also in class our research shifted from the mobile urban farming concept and a more speculative design approach to a service that is much more feasible. We conducted personal interviews with people on the street in Shanghai and Wuxi as well as with fellow students from China, India and Spain. Besides the interviews we also started a netnography by searching through digital travel and urban farming platforms.

The results and the most important links can be found below:

Netnography results International Design Summer School 2014

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References

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Target Group

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Idea FELLOW FARMERS CONNECTS URBAN FARMERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND SUPPORTS THEM IN FARMING ABROAD. IT IS THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR URBAN FARMERS.

LOG IN - CONNECT - TRAVEL

Fellow Farmers offer a platform for Urban Farmers who like to travel. They can easily find farmlands abroad where they can participate in the farming activities as well as connecting with other Urban Farmers who could also become your host, city guide or farming friend.

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Site map for Fellow Farmers

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www.fellowfarmers.com Home page

The Website is our key product. It connects Urban farmers worldwide- first virtually and then physically. You get access to all services/ pages once you become a member

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On the fellow profile on FELLOW FARMERS a fellow can share information about their urban farming place in their respective countries

Fellow page which filters the members you want to see based on the country selected

Fellow profile page

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Selection pop-up

On FELLOW FARMERS you can find farmlands all over the world that offer you exactly the activity that you want (overview farmlands) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from growing tomatoes to planting flowers to urban beekeeping.

After choosing your favorite destination and activity you can start connecting with all urban farmers that work around there

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Users can choose between several sharing activities (sharing page). They can decide if they want to share their work experience on the urban farm or their favorite places within the city as a local guide or even share their apartment.

Share page

Forums and social media plug-ins

They can also share experience digitally with others(connection page to Facebook, Twitter, etc.) or within the FELLOW FARMERS forum (forum page).

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FELLOW FARMERS is promoted throughTHE NATIONAL URBAN FARMING NETWORKS as well through their own website FELLOWFARMERS.COM and social media networks.

Login & Registration page

Membership pendants

Fellow Farmers facebook page

Further the members are promoters too by wearing the membership pendant. The pendant acts like a souvenir and also can be used to exchange soil, herbs etc. This can also be used for Viral marketing

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Back in India

The complex demographic profile of India gives a very good reason to test the concept here, especially where farming is an indigineous activity. The global network would be a success only if it is established firmly in the micro level.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an ideal scenario to test a global model at a complex micro level

Pooja Vasu | Semester 3 | PG Graphic Design 2013

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Interviews

Preeti Patil

Adrienne Thadani

Owner of Urban Leaves, Mumbai

Mumbai- Goa “There’s a lack of information to people about what’s happening around them, Even though we work a lot in Urban Farming, it’s difficult for us to keep a track of similar activities aor to reach out to people”

“Not many cultivate vegetables in Mumbai beacues of the lack of space and time. People genuinely interested in this is very less”

Reasons - Fresh Food - To get their hands dirty - To connect with the nature - Sustainable living - Business profits

Nash Paul Designer, Gao

- physical & Psychological Therapy

“I do it because I feel this is the best way you can give back to the society, Urban farming is not very different from farming, In both cases you grow edible plants, what differs is the context”

Smita Shirodkar Owner of Earhoholics, Mumbai “We try our level best to make people aware of Urban Farming and encourage them to practice it.

But it’s just a very small community who actually do it.”

Pooja Vasu | Semester 3 | PG Graphic Design 2013

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Analysis

s

ions

hological

Terrace farming, Kitchen farming

Not consultancy

Individual approach

They teach the basics

Food ownership: individual

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more of a voluntary activity

The investment is more SQUAREFOOT

The study concluded that there were More 2 groups of people involved in this activity FARMING

More varieties

Flat systems

People who are already doing Urban farming

people are involved

Active

Non Active

People who are interested but are not able to do it & non-practitioners

Availability of resources

NO PROFIT

Time and Space availability

not aware about the resources

SELF INITIATIVE

Lack of awareness about the topic

other activities: orgainc food

Space crunch/ time management Some are a part of organic purchasing but not interested in urban farming

Pooja Vasu | Semester 3 | PG Graphic Design 2013

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Redefined Brief

There are many Urban farming activities done across the country, but in isolation.

There is a huge gap in terms of connecting these different groups and individuals.

The data available online is also scattered.

The global model would be successful only if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a established single network at this level.

Pooja Vasu | Semester 3 | PG Graphic Design 2013

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Stakeholders

Nature of the Stakeholders

Contributors

People who contribute in terms of the content of the website.

Referrers + Contributors

Information seekers

People who are the indirect users of the content of the website. They use it as a reference to someone whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually going to use the information, In this process, they also end up adding to the content in context to the addition of the members

Direct users of the content of the website

Type of the Stakeholders

Substitutes

Experienced

Aspiring farmers

Connectors Freshers

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Scenarios

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Experienced Contributors

Nature of information required Factual Data Members/ communtiy information Events Expert Advices

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Connectors Referrers

+

Contributors

Nature of information required Members/ communtiy information Events Expert Advices Location based info Forum

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Substitutes Information seekers

Nature of information required Members/ communtiy information Events

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Freshers Information seekers

Nature of information required Factual Data Members/ communtiy information Events Expert Advices Location based info

Pooja Vasu | Semester 3 | PG Graphic Design 2013

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Aspiring farmers Information seekers

Nature of information required Factual Data Members/ communtiy information Expert Advices Location based info

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Nature of the Stakeholders

Referrers

Information seekers

+

Contributors

Contributors

Type of the Stakeholders

Substitutes

Experienced

Aspiring farmers

Connectors Freshers

Members/ community information Events Expert advice

Information heirarchy

Location based info Factual data Forums

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Similar Existing website structure

Lonelyplanet.org

1st level information Destination Inspiration Shop THORN TREE FORUM Bookings Insurance

1.2 (sub-level)

2nd level information (ASIA) Highlights Places Things to do Hotels Tips & Articles

2.2 (sub-level)

3rd level information (INDIA) Places Hotels Things to do Need to know Tips & Articles

Pooja Vasu | Semester 3 | PG Graphic Design 2013

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wwoof.net : World Wide Opportunities in Organic Farm

1st level information About How it works History of WWOOF News/ Media FAQs WWOOF in other countries

1.2 (sub-level)

2nd level information (INDIA) Join as a WWOOFer Join as a host Photos Co-ordinatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comments

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wearecity.de

1st level information Discover Experience Locally Blog Book Contribute

1.2 (sub-level) Cityr friend Photographer Be a blogger/ author Share an event

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couchsurfing.org

1st level information About Getting started Safety Community Support

1.2 (sub-level) : Couch Stories Home Submit your stories Our values

2nd level information (dashboard after log in) Home Surf Host Events Discuss

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Categorising the information

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Proposed Site structure

Who are we?

Fellows

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where

Urban farming

get involved

Workshops

Description

Become a fellow

FAQs

Events

Read their farming stories

Blog

Ask our experts

ask us

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m near _____________ looking for ___________

About Fellow Farmers You can be a part of the Global Urban Farming Network (link to fellow farmers.com)

Fellow Profiles Community farm profiles Read their farming stories

Exhibitions

Articles

Talks

fb cpnnect

Shop

Twitter News

Soil Compost Trending topics New topics Active topics Unanswered topics

Terrace gardening Window gardening Basics

How to become a fellow?

Do I have to pay for registration?

Is there a global membership?

How can I contribute?

Trending articles New articles Stories Pooja Vasu | Semester 3 | PG Graphic Design 2013

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Fellow Dashboard Structure

pooja vasu Your story Your event Your answers Recent Activities Create an event Answer a query Start a thread Tell your story Settings Log out

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Way forward - Sitemap - Wireframes - Visual language - Adaptation of the same into different mediums - Possible extentions

References www.mysunnybalcony.com www.earthoholics.com data.gov.in www.cityfarmer.info www.cityfarmers.com.au www.freshcityfarms.com www.thealternative.in otaa from your thota www.architecturendesign.net www.gardeningknowhow.com

https://www.nomaders.com/ info/become-a-local-hero Lonelyplanet.com wethecity.de dailydump.org

Cradle to Cradle- McDonough and Braungart One Straw Revolution- Masanobu Fukuoka

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