Parisculteurs: Paris, the next big farm

Marie Rochette & Loïc Fontaine & Edouard Gravière

        Nowadays, more and more people are worried about global warming. Both citizens and cities are trying to improve the situation. In January 2016 Paris launched the Parisculteurs project, turning rooftops across the city into gardens.

This project, which according to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is a way to fight against greenhouse gases and global warming, will create 100 hectares of green roofs by 2020. Today it already covers 30 hectares of the French capitol, spread over 47 schools, libraries and offices. The main idea is to farm vegetables and plants which will be consumed nearby. Educational activities will also be organized on several rooftops.

Famous historical sites are part of the project, and the ideas are innovative and original.

One of the biggest projects concerns the rooftop of the Opera Bastille. With approximately 5000 square meters of growing space, including 2500 for vegetables and edible flowers, this farm will provide more than 5 tons of fresh produce a year. The company chosen to lead this project also plans to build a brewery and grow hops, then sell locally-made beer. Another proposal is to deliver produce from the Opera Bastille to surrounding shops by bicycle, which would reduce the number of delivery trucks in this part of the city.

Be it on the rooftops of the Opera Bastille or other prestigious buildings, one of the biggest problems in Paris is the lack of space. That’s why this kind of agriculture is particularly interesting in a big city: it doesn’t require soil or large growing areas. An aquaponic farm is simply a pond, overlaid by a box filled with soil, and a pump. The equipment  is compact, and affordable and the principle is based on the symbiosis between fish, bacteria and plants. Fish live in the pond, and water containing their waste is pumped up to feed growing plants. The water, filtered by roots and bacteria, then flows back into the pond by the force of gravity. This method reduces water use by 90% compared to traditional  agriculture, and provides not only vegetables, but fish as well.

This whole approach has several goals: reducing pollution, providing food and creating jobs. Paris will be greener and its air cleaner. Of course, the project requires investment and organization, and may take longer than planned. Still, many building owners are highly motivated. According to Pénélope Komitès of the Paris Parks and Recreation department, it is a real success, and “Parisculteurs 2” is already in the works.

This project is a symbol of the boom in urban agriculture. More than just a trend, it helps make people think about environment -- but it’s mostly just good news for our planet.

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