Dhaka Rooftop Farming
Dhaka, Bangladesh · Operator: Community members
Overview
Citizens cultivate vegetables on rooftops across Dhaka, with women playing a leading role. Rooftop gardeners show 19% increased vegetable intake and 7% increased fruit intake. Rooftop agriculture reduces temperatures by 1.2–5.5%, provides carbon sequestration, and lessens ecological footprint.
Citizen participation
Community members, particularly women, lead rooftop cultivation. In Dhaka studies, women manage 83% of urban gardens, often with spousal assistance.
Operating model
Household rooftop gardens focused on food self-sufficiency and health improvement.
Impact
Improves food security, health outcomes, reduces urban heat island effect, enhances biodiversity, and reduces carbon emissions.
Crops
- vegetables
- herbs
- leafy greens
Scale
Household rooftop gardens across Dhaka
Sources(2)
This entry is compiled from the public sources, official sites and research below.
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