The world’s population has more than doubled over the past 50 years. This alone has caused immense stress on the natural environment and as a result, we are experiencing soil degradation, depletions of groundwater, pollution, ocean acidification, accelerated rates of extinction, global warming, droughts, diseases, high concentrations of CO 2 and mass deforestation. In a time of increasing population growth, climate change and environmental degradation, we need agricultural systems that come with a more balanced portfolio of sustainability benefits.

Urban agriculture has been defined as “reconnecting with the community through food, jobs and economic development” and is a sustainable solution.

The project would be entirely open-sourced, and start a workforce who could move on and create their own advanced agricultural businesses in other cities globally.

RootedLABs is a decentralized network empowering future city farmers and urban agriculture by leveraging emerging technologies, using open-source philosophies and creating a global network of hubs (LABs) to help share resources, tools and tech to feed local communities. We establish accessible smart city farms worldwide (first location in Ottawa, Canada), fostering collaboration between academia, the tech industry, and local communities to address global agricultural challenges and support sustainable environmental practices.

Our focus on open-source tooling and blockchain technology allows us to facilitate connectivity between local and global agricultural needs. Leveraging decentralized physical infrastructure networks, IoT, and emerging technologies like AI and robotics, we collect data, create open datasets, code and documentation, and provide testing grounds for cutting-edge projects.

Through educational programs and partnerships with nonprofits, schools, and governments, we promote inclusivity and sustainability while continuously innovating to address evolving technological and environmental demands.

Long-term our goal is to create a global co-op (DAO) of urban farm hubs (LABs) to create a more sustainable and accessible agricultural future for the planet. By open-sourcing all data, engineering specs, and other resources we can provide climate-saving solutions, that also feed local communities.

Our detailed roadmap can be found here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IgpzybwzB8wW0pi-lboIhmwK8rqNc0E6DMuWEsnuR80/edit?usp=sharing