Urban farms: Ismail Ouazzani at TEDxCasablanca

Ismail Ouazzani is 10 years old. What is the Casablanca he wants to see in 2050? A green, clean Casablanca where it's pleasant to live. To achieve this, he imagines a project: urban farms on Casablanca's rooftops.

Good evening!

My name is Ismail Ouazzani,

I am 10 years old and
I have always lived in Casablanca.

I love my city.

But I am really concerned
about its future.

First, people pollute,

they build few green spaces,

and put lots of chemicals in the food.

Well, if we go on like this,

by 2050, it will be a disaster.

There will be fewer and fewer green spaces,

more and more chemicals
in the food to produce more,

and fewer and fewer green spaces,

because as Casablanca
will get overcrowded,

we'll have to find a place
where to house its inhabitants.

So no space for green spaces.

And as there will be a lot of pollution,

many chemicals and few green spaces,

the population will be sick all the time,

unhappy and will live very badly.

And I imagine that you,

you do not want to breathe like that
out in the street?

(Audience): No.

I can't hear you!

(Audience): No!

Ah, that's better!

Me neither!

I, like you, I want to live well,
eat well, breathe well.

So to eat well, breathe well, live well,

I propose a solution.

To develop farms on building roofs.

OK, the idea may seem
a little far fetched at first.

But in fact, it is extremely simple.

There are a few things to do:
three things to be precise.

The first: to pass a law that
requires builders

to plan for roof structures

that can withstand loads
of 20 cm of hydroponics,

which means soilless cultures,
such as clay,

or 80 cm soil if you want
to get soil-grown crops.

Second, the residents get organized
into cooperatives to develop

and plant in their urban farms:
fruit, vegetables such as tomatoes,

carrots, broccoli... radishes, why not...

(Laughter)

What?

(Laughter)

They will also be able to breed rabbits,
chickens for fresh eggs.

And this action will even allow
the recycling of organic waste

to make compost.

And I also think about children in 2050,
who will be my age, 10 years old.

They will be 10 years and won't have
many opportunities to touch nature,

to see animals.

So, to give them a chance
to touch nature and see animals,

I even propose to make educational workshops
on the roofs of the buildings.

So the third point of my project
is to improve air quality

by planting trees in pots.

As you can't plant trees directly on the roof,

well, we can just plant them in pots.

As a tree can capture 10 kilograms
of carbon dioxide per year,

that could make the air more breathable.

That's why I called
my project: "Casablanca, Casaverde"

And it's 'Made in Ismail ",
you won't find it on Google.

(Applause)

And don't tell me
that all this is not possible!

See what is happening in Beirut,

while the country is in war!

They have lots of worries,
but they think about ecology.

So if they can do it, we can do it.

I want to tell you
one last thing before I leave you.

I am 10 years old, as you know.

When you're 10, you cannot vote laws,

so I'm relying on you

to get the law passed
and to make all this happen.

And goodbye!

(Applause)