What is urban agriculture? In simple terms, it is the production and distribution of foods within the centers of major urban areas, like in vacant lots or on rooftops in bustling cities [11]. Urban agriculture can sometimes be synonymous with urban farming/gardening, but the true distinction comes from the fact that urban agriculture usually involves commercial activity [4]. When we think of farming, we naturally think of farmers plowing away in some remote area in the rural side of a country. So, the concept of urban farming seems a bit foreign to us at first. We should really think of it as the organic combination of a traditional rural landscape within the urban fabric of a community.

Urban farming has experienced a surge in popularity in the last few years across the US. It has become a popular activity among food justice advocates, who have taken such a strong consideration of where their food comes from and how society can rethink the food supply chain in a way that reduces food waste, increases access to healthy foods, and cuts the costs of transporting foods across state lines by growing food within miles of potential customers [5]. 

A large portion of urban community gardens or urban farms are established on vacant land of varying sizes and are maintained by an organized group of community residents that live within the vicinity of the garden [6]. Several local governments across the nation have started implementing policies and regulations that support urban community gardens as the urban agriculture movement has gained momentum and the benefits of having these productive green spaces have become more recognizable [2]. Urban agriculture actively improves the economic vitality of a community by creating jobs, providing job training skills, developing small agricultural-based businesses for residents looking to start their own farms and sell produce [5]. 

While urban farming has several environmental and economical benefits, it also offers enriching social benefits, especially for underprivileged communities that are home to historically marginalized populations like refugees and people of color. There are several well-established urban farms run by groups that advocate for social justice while combating food insecurity through running their own urban farms in some of the most densely populated cities in America. Here, we look at two urban farms. Although they are run in slightly different ways, both make incredible positive impacts on the lives of local community residents.

Refugee Urban Farming Project

The Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program (RAPP) is a program that has been implemented in several cities across the US with the purpose of “promoting health and economic independence for newly arrived refugees” through farming. This program essentially offers an opportunity for refugees that already come from rural backgrounds to practice their agricultural expertise and give them further education and tools to grow their own urban gardens.  RAPP was brought to Chicago by a group called the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly [3]. This really gave the refugees living in Chicago a rich cultural value to their newfound American experience. It allows them to engage in their new communities in a way that is familiar to them and that reminds them of their past experiences of growing food in their home countries. It also provides a way for refugee elders to practice their traditional roles as teachers and providers within refugee families. For these families, this opportunity offers them a sense of belonging to American society, while also empowering them to make their own income [3].

Programs like these implement community development strategies on the grassroots level because they directly involve community members in the development process. In this case, refugees are being directly involved in improving the community's food security and allowing them to participate in the local economy in a way that is also socially fulfilling to them. The urban farm also provides a designated space for refugees and neighbors to have social interaction while giving them a sense of agency and ownership over the land they work hard to cultivate a fresh harvest from [2]. Here, urban farming is used in a way to strengthen community identity and reflect the cultural values of the refugee population in the Chicago area.

The Growing Experience  

Right near the Carmelitos Public Housing Development in North Long Beach, California sits an urban farm that is called “The Growing Experience”. Not only does it offer a garden with healthy foods in a historically under-served community that has faced major food insecurity issues, but it also provides a diverse range of community programs & workshops, offers green space for recreation, hosts community events, and promotes sustainable community building [7]. The seven-acre farm is officially operated by the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles. The farm is split into two sections: a community garden and a designated urban farm that produces food for the CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture Program. CSAs are programs in which consumers invest in their local urban farms by paying upfront for a share of the harvest. These transactions come in the form of memberships or subscriptions [10]. In this case, the Growing Experience provides its CSA subscribers with weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly pickups of boxes full of fresh produce [9]. These types of programs really give local customers a chance to form close relationships with their farmers and provide the chance for farmers to cultivate a loyal customer base. 

The Growing Experience also provides a host of youth engagement activities that are related to art, nutrition, and sustainability. The programs promote community engagement and educate local youth and their families about topics like healthy cooking, local ecology, and local food systems. There are many opportunities for hands-on experience [8]. The urban farm has become an incredibly vibrant hub for interaction between generations and a community gathering space where conversations are centered around ways to better the community. Community-led initiatives like these are critical to improving the well-being of communities that have historically lacked well-maintained green spaces and opportunities for residents to gather for a common good [5]. 

 Some Takeaways

Safe green spaces like urban community gardens & farms are vital for low-income and immigrant communities facing incredibly difficult circumstances such as high crime rates, violence, and lack of sense of belonging in the urban areas they reside in. These spaces offer an appealing place to conduct community engagement activities that have the ability to empower local neighborhoods by developing a sense of community among residents coming from a range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Studies have indicated that there is a correlation between high rates of participation in gardens and local farms with reduced rates of crime, fires, littering, as well as increased rates of civic responsibility, voter registration, and mental well-being [5]. Urban farms transcend their core role of providing fresh and healthy produce for nearby neighborhoods by becoming a place of learning, community support, and a beacon of resilience through successful engagement of local residents working together to achieve common goals like improving food security.

Written by Edna Samron

References:

1. American Planning Association. Urban Agriculture. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.planning.org/knowledgebase/urbanagriculture/

2. Brotman, B. (2014, August 02). Refugees Find Peace Tending Global Garden (Chicago Tribune). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.columbiadailyherald.com/article/20140802/NEWS/308029977 

3. CLESE. Refugee Urban Farming Project. (2014). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from http://clese.org/elder-programs/refugee/refugee-urban-farming-project 

4. Greensgrow. What is Urban Farming? (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.greensgrow.org/urban-farm/what-is-urban-farming/ 

5. Hagey, A., Rice, S., & Flourney, R. (2012). Growing Urban Agriculture: Equitable Strategies and Policies for Improving Access to Healthy Food and Revitalizing Communities. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.policylink.org/sites/default/files/URBAN_AG_FULLREPORT.PDF

6. Hynes, H., & Howe, G. (2004). Urban Horticulture In The Contemporary United States: Personal And Community Benefits. Acta Horticulturae, (643), 171-181. doi:10.17660/actahortic.2004.643.21

7. LACDA. What We Do - The Growing Experience. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://growingexperiencelb.lacda.org/about-us/what-we-d

8. Long Beach Gov. Sustainability Spotlight: The Growing Experience. (2020, March 20). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from http://www.longbeach.gov/sustainability/news/sustainability-spotlight-the-growing-experience/

9. Minasian, S. (2015, October 27). Urban Farming Teaches Job Skills. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.gazettes.com/lifestyle/urban-farming-teaches-job-skills/article_cd94f3d8-08fd-11e2-b544-0019bb2963f4.html

10. SARE. Community Supported Agriculture. (2020, August 26). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.sare.org/publications/marketing-strategies-for-farmers-and-ranchers/community-supported-agriculture/

11. Surls, R., Feenstra, G., Golden, S., Galt, R., Hardesty, S., Napawan, C., & Wilen, C. (2014, March 5). Gearing up to support urban farming in California: Preliminary results of a needs assessment. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.academia.edu/33592162/Gearing_up_to_support_urban_farming_in_California_Preliminary_results_of_a_needs_assessment