Page 27 - Connecting cities and communities with the Sustainable Development Goals

United for Smart Sustainable Cities
Connecting cities and communities with the Sustainable Development Goals

resulting short supply chains have economic, environmental and social benefits for producers, consumers
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and the wider community. At the same time, aquaponics systems can facilitate job creation in cities.

2 The project(s)

2.1 Vision and content

GrowUp Urban Farms is an agricultural company that grows sustainable food for a local market. The aim is
to change the production and distribution of nutritious food that is consumed in cities and as a result to
reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and employ local people so cities can be more self-sustaining.
This company’s values are at the core of what they do and they steer the decisions they make for the
business. The main business principles adopted by GrowUp are as follows:
▪ We care about People, Profit and the Planet.
▪ We believe we can Do Good and Make Money.

▪ We search for the best environmental solution available at the time – and then revisit those
decisions regularly to see if a better option is available

▪ We think learning about and eating good food is something everyone should get the chance to do.
▪ We should be producing food in cities at a commercial scale in an ecologically sustainable way.
▪ We can improve the level of food knowledge, education and enthusiasm in cities.

▪ We should reduce the environmental impact of food production for cities.
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▪ Our systems and processes can lead innovation in urban food production .

Figure 2-1 – the GrowUp Box

2.2 Implementation

In 2013, GrowUp, a start-up supported by Climate-KIC UK, set up a demonstration installation, the GrowUp
Box, on a playground off Union Street, not far from London’s financial centre. The project consists of a

13 BBC News, June 2014.

14 GrowUp Project

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