Climbing the steps to the roof at
Maitreye through a maze of white tiles, one would not expect the lush, verdant
explosion at the top. On my first visit in December, there was green
everywhere: lettuce seedlings bursting from their small containers, melon
plants cascading from horizontal pipes, even a small papaya proudly pushing the
other plants out of the way. It was jaw-dropping, simply because on the sterile
rooftop there was no soil, no earthworms, no visible ingredients to grow these
plants except water, nutrient solutions, and some plant beds constructed with
plywood, plastic sheets and styrofoam.
This scene is the outcome of Akash
and Monica’s experiments in food growing, which they dub “Rooftop Hydroponics”.
When asked why they’re doing it, they don’t wax philosophical about challenges
of water or food systems in the world, both of which are under stress enough to
warrant such experiments. “It’s fun,” they say, “and challenging”.
Their goal i...
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