The 3k Foods

Creating the shortest possible supply chain for food products primarily Agricultural products which can be produced in sufficient quantities in open spaces available in urban spaces (primarily terraces) and then sold to stores in 3km radius, thus reducing the supply chain from 1000s of kms to a few kms.

Our solution focuses on reducing the distance between the production and consumption of products i.e. creating a short supply chain to promote sustainable living. It consist three main stages:

Locating urban spaces for production:

We will locate open spaces in urban areas like terraces of residences, offices, schools etc and grow food which are efficient to produce in small land (vegetables etc). This includes tying up with these property owners for their space on rent or profit sharing basis or produce sharing.

Training people to farm:

We will tap in the human resource in urban areas which is in abundance to do farming. If people inspite of providing us space want to do farming themselves, we will provide them DIY training to start. We will also procure their produce and trade them in market.

Selling produce to stores:

We will then sell the produce in nearby stores (3km) and in wholesale markets.

This will lead to shortening of supply chain in urban food market reducing carbon footprint, and also better and more food for society.

Bad Effects of long supply chain:

Agriculture products in urban societies are always brought from faraway rural farms. This requires lot of packaging and transportation which comes with many downsides. It leads to problems like:

• Increased food cost

• Higher carbon footprint

• Degraded food quality and wastage in transit

Food Security:

As human population of earth grows, food demand keeps on growing which can't be met if we don't make efficient use of all the resources. We tap into unused spaces in urban areas and unemployed human capital to solve this problem.

Different methods of farming in small spaces

Vegetable gardening for urban dwellers

Benefits of urban farming

Soilless vertical farming

Hydroponics-Growing food in water without soil

Aquaponics and aeroponics

Vegetable productivity in India

Everyday growing food in small areas is getting more efficient and economical. Modern techniques like hydroponics, aeroponics, vertical farming are making it even better.

Thus problem remains of finding suitable method for different areas and partnering with people to run this initiative.

As this solution is making use of idle space in urban centers, people can make profit with less or zero effort and therefore achieving it will not be a problem.

Outcomes:

• Lower Supply Chain

• Reduced Carbon Emission

• Reduced food cost

• Improved Food Quality

• Income generation and employment for urban dwellers

Primary beneficiaries:

• Consumers- Better and cheap food (with availability of more fresh and cheap food)

• Urban farmers- Income generation (with sale of produce to local stores and markets)

• Society- Reduction in carbon footprint (will be gained in entire process of solution)

Measure the distance of producing area to store and comparing it with food sourced otherwise (from different areas.) - Short supply chain/ Reduced carbon emission

By comparing with food sourced from other regions. - Reduced food cost and improved quality

By measuring earning of our farmers and DIY customers. - Income generation

Agriculture is generally understood to mean large farms, big supply chains and consumer - producer approach. Our solution tries to change that.

We use the unutilized urban spaces, to decentralize farming to bring it closest to the consumer. We do not find any close enterprise doing it on scale in our country.

We compare our product to solar roofs which is about generation of power at point of consumption, we believe the same with food is possible to it maximum sustainable.

We make it easy for urban dwellers to take responsibility of their own food consumption having many positive effects.

Our solution is designed to help urban population take control of their own food requirements. Through our solution they can do it by providing their spaces for farming, and by farming themselves. For those who migrate from villages to seek employment can engage in farming on spaces provided by others.

All these gives urban people responsibility of their food consumption in most sustainable way.

Tying up with space owners: For vacant spaces for farming on rent or profit sharing basis.

Sourcing labour for farming: We will employ people who migrate in cities from villages to seek employment which is in abundance in India.

DIY kits: We will provide DIY kits and classes for people who want to practice urban farming themselves.

Sales: Produce will be sold in areas within radius of 3km thus minimizing supply chain.

Revenue will be generated from sale of produce and DIY customers.

Our produce will be affordable because of minimal supply chain and less expense on disease prevention.

Research and prototyping: Bootstrapping 

Pilot and iterations: External funding and grants

Growth: External funding (both equity and debt) & revenues

Scale: Revenues

Revenue will be generated by sale of produce and DIY kits.

Proper space availability:

There are many complexities in urban areas for farming. For e.g. heights of buildings in cities are very disproportionate, a potential partner's area might now be suitable as shades of nearby building might block sunlight.

So developing methods of farming suitable to complex urban condition is a challenge, yet achievable.

Growth Challenge due to hard infrastructure:

As growth includes for farms with include more infrastructure, it can be slow to match up the pace of problem.

However we believe simplicity and profitability of solution will encourage other people to replicate the idea to achieve the goal much faster.

As we move from research to prototyping and product development for pilot and beyond, the guidance and mentorship we receive at solve would be invaluable.

The solve community consists of leaders and thnkers who can help us make on our weak points and better our strong points.

Also, the funding as well as technology support we would receive at solve would help our solution immensely.

Currently we are on research stage and do not have any partners.