Worm farms can product an excellent source for rich organic nutrients, harvesting the enriched worm castings from the bottom. Under a contract agreement, fresh produce is delivered weekly in exchange for cash payment. The Cooperative is so successful that the women now bring in about three times as much money as their husbands who work as unskilled laborers. Women provide all their own gardening tools and equipment. Seeds and nutrient are provided by the supermarket chain under a contract agreement.
Hydroponic gardening has three distinct advantages in low income urban areas.
First, it is virtually safe from soil pollutants, since the plants are grown without soil using water based nutrient solutions. Second, production is done without soil and in small containers, which can be placed in almost any suitable location. Third, hydroponics provides consumers with fresher produce, grown closer to urban markets which greatly reduces transport spoilage. Zapp, J. 1992. Cultivos sin terra.