Urban Ag / Controlled Environment Agriculture

Program Overview

Kentucky State University's College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources provides a transformative experience for students through its Urban Ag / Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Program—a place of active, hands-on learning for creating sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems.Through the collaborative effort of a diverse team of student research assistants and committed staff, the program focuses on food production in urban areas using cutting-edge and environmentally sustainable agricultural methods.

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Missions

Student research assistants in the Urban Agriculture/ CEA program learn about various aspects of agriculture: controlled environment agriculture, research methodology, team building, and food production. This program also supports staff and student research projects, lab activities, and course-based projects. 

Under the leadership of Dr. Theoneste Nzaramyimana, the team runs a student-run farm on the Kentucky State University Harold Benson Farm field and greenhouse for food production, research, and education. Students donate fresh vegetables to the campus and community during the harvest seasons to reduce local food insecurity and promote healthy nutrition.

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What is Urban Agriculture ?

Urban agriculture, or controlled environment agriculture, is the practice of growing food in cities using modern techniques that allow the producer to manage the conditions in which food is grown. It includes hydroponics, aquaponics, vertical farming, and green house growing and food production in places like rooftops, warehouses or unused buildings.

The producer has the ability to control factors like temperature, humidity and light to produce food consistently, producing high quality food regardless of outside conditions. Urban agriculture / controlled environment agriculture helps to create food equity, reduce food transportation costs, and support sustainable and healthy living in urban areas.

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Why is Urban Agriculture Important?

Urban agriculture can positively impact communities in many ways. It can improve access to healthy food, promote community development, and create jobs. Agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Research, education, and practice in agriculture are vital to developing sustainable food systems that produce healthy food while protecting the environment. 

Food insecurity poses a significant problem in our world today and many people lack access to affordable, healthy, and fresh vegetables. Our team is committed to building more just and equitable food systems that give everyone access to healthy food and empower people to grow their own food.  

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Main Program Areas

Student Run Farm at Benson Farm

Students operate a student-run farm with an outdoor garden on the Harold Benson Farm in Frankfort, Kentucky. The farm has field plots and raised beds that the Urban Ag team use for annual and perennial crop production. They learn how to use farm tools, install drip irrigation, planting, pest management, and composting systems. Crops are produced using sustainable principles, including cover cropping, crop rotation, and natural fertilizers. They donate the produce to the campus body and local community to enhance nutritional status and decrease food insecurity in their community.

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Greenhouse Management

Students develop crop plans for production spaces and learn propagation, seeding, and transplanting methods. They also develop strategies for integrated pest management and plant disease mitigation in this controlled environment agriculture space at the Benson Greenhouse.

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Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a plant production method involving growing plants without soil using nutrient-enriched water. The greenhouse features hydroponic systems such as deep water culture and NFT systems that produce watercress, lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, and other leafy green vegetables. These systems are also used in research studies that study the effects of nutrient fertilization in leafy green production.

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Aquaponics

Kentucky State University is known for its renowned aquaculture research facility. The aquaculture division collaborates with the Urban Ag team to allow opportunities for students to learn about aquaponic and CEA systems. Students learn how to maintain the systems and troubleshoot issues to produce quality vegetables. These aquaponic systems combine fish production (aquaculture) with hydroponic plant production, with the fish waste providing nutrients to feed the plants. This collaboration fosters many research ideas and hands-on learning experiences.
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Travel

The Urban Agriculture team travels often to collaborate with USDA Agriculture Research Service research sites and present research at renowned conferences. The team recently visited Charleston, South Carolina, to tour the USDA Vegetable Laboratory. They have also traveled to USDA ARS sites at the University of Toledo and The Ohio State University in Ohio. A couple of students are conducting their thesis research on nutrient accumulation in watercress and upland cress in hydroponic systems at their greenhouse facility. The team has also attended professional conferences like the Kentucky Academy of Science, Professional Ag Workers, and Posters at the Capitol to showcase their research. They will also be attending many renowned conferences, such as the American Horticulture Society Meeting (ASHS) and the Controlled Environment Agriculture Summit soon.

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Agriculture Degree Options

While students in any major can get involved, the Urban Agriculture experience complements the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources baccalaureate degree program in Agriculture. Kentucky State University offers these degree options in Agricultural Systems, Nutritional Science and Food Systems, Environmental Systems, and Aquaculture Systems.

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Meet Our Brilliant Team !

Get to know the passionate people turning vision into reality.

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Ongoing Research Topics

Hungarian Yellow Wax Sweet Pepper's Growth, Quality, and Yield Response Under Different Production Systems. (Alex & Jonathan)

Evaluating the Effects of Plastic Mulch on Soil Temperature, Moisture Retention, and Tomato Yield (Alex & Jonathan)

Impact of Plastic Mulch on Weed Suppression and Growth Performance of Bell Peppers (Alex & Jonathan)

Comparative Analysis of Organic and Synthetic Mulches on Tomato Growth. (Adeyeye, Sebastain, and Jemima)

Growth and Yield Response of Favorita Tomatoes to Three Different NPK Fertilizer Ratios in a Controlled Environment. (Adeyeye, Sebastian, and Jemima)

The Effects of Mulching on Soil Moisture Retention and Crop Growth (Richard, Emmanuel)

Habanero Mulch and Irrigation Study  (Alex, Jonathan)

Comparing Growth Methods for Spinach Yield and Growth  (Mariemerci, Megrael)

Conference Photos

 

Posters at the Capital - March '25

The Posters-at-the-Capitol is an annual event held to educate Kentucky State Legislators of the importance of its undergraduate research and scholarly work. Student discoveries impact many issues that affect our economy both stateside and globally. This conference can help increase the understanding of the important role undergraduate research plays in the education of our students among those responsible for higher education funding in Kentucky. Our Urban Agriculture students,

Megrael and Sephora presented their posters at the conference and networked with government memebers and other University members. Megrael was the only KYSU student to do a oral presentation in front of Kentucky State Legislators and the public. 

 

Professional Agricultural Workers Conference

The Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) is a forum committed to a world that values and promotes equal opportunity equitable access to information and technology for sustainable development of communities and natural resources. It is now national in scope including representatives from the national land grant community, and from the state, federal, and private sectors.

The Urban AG graduate students, Germaine, Eric, Marie Merci, Dr. Adeyeye, and Alex attended this renowed conference and presented their summer research studies. 

Kentucky Academy Of Science - Nov '24

The Kentucky Academy of Science conference brings scientists together to share research, awards research grant to members, sends scientists out into the community to share their work, and recognizes outstanding science education and outreach. 

This year, KAS was held at Kentucky State University. This conference included special sessions on aerospace and applied bioinformatics. It also included a tour of KSU’s aquaculture center, hundreds of oral and poster presentations, workshops presented by KAS members, keynote presentations and panels highlighting careers in STEM, career networking opportunities, and much more. KAS’ Annual Meeting is a brilliant opportunity for scientists and students to network, collaborate, share research findings, and enjoy hands-on STEM experiences.

Undergraduate research assistant, Sephora, presented her study at the KAS conference. The graduate students also showcased their research studies at this conference.