Final answer:
Value-added in urban agriculture indicates the increased economic value products gain from processing, branding, or marketing, which can provide essential income in intensive farming areas like cities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Value-added refers to the enhanced financial value of urban agricultural products gained through processing or marketing. In urban agriculture, value-added can mean processing fresh produce into items like jams or pickles, or branding and marketing produce as organic or locally grown, which can fetch higher prices. This concept ties into broader economic principles where manufacturing historically provided the highest value-added profits, an essential factor in the wealth of core economic regions.
As urban agricultural activities, like market gardening, are often more intensive due to the high value of land, farmers aim to maximize returns through such value-added strategies. This is not only an economic necessity but also a response to the evolving challenges and philosophies surrounding sustainable agriculture and the need for more efficient food production systems that consider environmental, social, and technological impacts.