urban agriculture to build stronger communities ally schonfeld
TRANSCRIPT
Urban Agriculture to Build Stronger Communities
Ally Schonfeld
What is Urban Agriculture?
• Production of fruits and vegetables, raising of animals, and cultivation of fish for local sale and consumption
• More holistic definition includes its influence and dependence on a variety of economic, environmental, and social resources
• Varies broadly by region and country, as well as by field of study (Public Health and City Planning)
• Past 5 years- definition includes more than just food production in urban areas
The Situation Now
Food Security Resources
(Economic, Social, Business, Community)
Policy Acceptance
Urban Farms
Impact Factors
Community Development
Who??
Impact Factors
• History (area and people)• Subsidized Food• Drugs• Violence (perception of)• City Planning/Development• Government• Health• Accessibility• Economy• Motivation• Knowledge of resources
Community Development
• Community Bonds• People coming together• Neighbors• Opportunities to be involved• Community Issues• http://
www.kickstarter.com/projects/405310140/whitelock-community-farm
Resources
• Weak and Strong Ties• Nonprofits, NGOs and locally
based change organizations• Mentorship• Demonstrations• Small Business Models• Extension• Architecture/Building• Social• Economic• Financial• Gaps in Research
Prerequisites (Hodgson et al)
• Climate• Weather• Insects and Pests• Land or growing space• Secure land tenure• Healthy, uncontaminated soil or growing
medium• Water• Labor• Capital and operating funds• Financial and technical assistance• Agricultural skills and knowledge• Processing and transportation
infrastructure• Distribution channels• Consumer demand• Viable markets
Who?
• Youth• Entrepreneurs• New Residents• College Educated• Artists• Social Sciences• Retirees
Outcomes
• Efficacy• Exposure to food origins (start to build
literacy)• Further Community Development• Food Security (efficacy and value)• Community Power • Value within society• Vein for Commercial Agriculture
Potential Questions
• Are Farmers Accessing their Resources and positioning themselves as leaders in their community?
• Are Resources available to Farmers?• Case Study- Is the organization able to tackle the issues
in their mission statement?• Are there too many barriers in place for anyone to make
effective change now or in the long run?• http://www.farmalliancebaltimore.org/• http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/greatkidsfarm • What are other cities doing?
Resources
• United States. Environmental Protection Agency.Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. (2011). Urban agriculture. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
• Cabannes, Y. (2012). Financing urban agriculture. Environment & Urbanization, 24(2), 665-683. doi: 10.1177/0956247812456126
• Kimberley Hodgson, Marcia Caton Campbell, & Martin Bailkey. (2011). What is urban agriculture? Planning Advisory Service Report, (563), 9.
Questions?