Atle Wehn Hegnes
Research Scientist
Authors
Atle Wehn HegnesAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Trine Hvoslef-Eide Aasmund Bunkholt Atle Wehn Hegnes Petter D. Jenssen Roland Peter Kallenborn Jan Ludvig Lyche Melesse Eshetu_Moges Trine Aulstad Sogn TomasgaardAbstract
To meet the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, we must address the challenge of feeding a growing global population while preserving biodiversity and minimizing land use. Solutions lie in increasing yields on existing farmland and expanding food production in urban and semi-urban areas. Urban environments, traditionally resource-intensive and polluting, must evolve into hubs of circular bioresource use. Biological waste should be seen not as waste, but as recyclable resources. This paper explores how urban food production can be supported by recycling household grey and black water, reducing reliance on costly treatment plants. Black water, combined with food waste, can generate bioenergy in biogas reactors. The resulting digestate can serve as fertilizer or growth media. Research is needed to ensure the safe, circular use of these resources, protecting public health. In parallel, we must develop innovative horticultural technologies – such as rooftop gardens, vertical farming, and wall-based cultivation – using plant varieties tailored for urban conditions. Strengthening local food resilience also involves understanding production in balconies, backyards, allotments, and community gardens. Citizens are eager to learn, and trained urban horticulturalists can guide them. In Norway, we have launched a master’s program in Urban Agriculture, integrating these themes. Students from diverse backgrounds tackle real-world challenges from municipalities and businesses, addressing complex problems that require interdisciplinary solutions, using real-life external cases.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered