Urban farming a way to make cities more ecologically and socially sustainable? Annika Carlsson-Kanyama, docent, School of Technology and Health, KTH
What is urban agriculture? City and suburban agriculture takes the form of backyard, rooftop and balcony gardening, community gardening in vacant lots and parks, roadside urban fringe agriculture and livestock grazing in open space. (http://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/urbanagriculture.html) Urban agriculture is an important source of environmental and production efficiency benefits. The use of best management practices (BMPs) and integrated farming systems protect soil fertility and stability, prevent excessive runoff, provide habitats for a widened diversity of flora and fauna, reduce the emissions of CO2, increase carbon sequestration, and reduce the incidence and severity of natural disasters such as floods and landslides. Decorative or scenic agriculture landscapes, waterways, and buildings provide numerous benefits including recreational activities, scenic views, and open space qualities. These positive benefits often merit assistance to producers such as technical and financial and other public support
Urban agriculture and environmental sustainability In the open Under glass Indoor (homes, restaurants, schools etc)
UA in the open Farming on abandoned or unused land land Vertical farming Farming on roof-tops Raising chicken an pigs Environmentally friendly because of less transportation
UA under glass Lufa farms, Montreal, 2900 sqm on a roof of an office Hydroponic cultivation, use of rain water, drip irrigation, recirculating the water 25 species of vegetables Environmentally friendly only if (energy) efficient and low carbon Read about 34 other exeamples in: http://www.kth.se/polopoly_fs/1.449083!/menu/general/columncontent/attachment/va%cc%88xthus%20och%20va%cc%88xter%20under%20glas%20i%20byggd%20miljo%cc%88.pdf
UA indoors Green wall, green frame, green lamp and an aquaponic pice of futniture Installed in a kitchen at KTH during 12 weeks in 2013 Evaluation of function and attractivity by potential users Environmentally friendlly with efficient lighting
Urban agriculture and social sustainability? Suggestions for criteria
What charachterizes a socially sustainable society? In short, social sustainability is about that two things should be present in a society. One is welfare which means that people should have a decent standard och live in a enjoyable environment. Welfare also means that the good things in life should be fairly equally distributed. The other thing is that social systems, like societies, should have a capability to solve problems that people end up in. www.socialhållbarhet.se
Four on-going examples of urban agriculture Sunhouses in Gårdsten The greenhouse of the Seapark, Kumla The foodpark in Skarpnäck Garden on tracks, Stockholm
Examples of social impacts in the four Standard rise ongoing urban argiculture systems Increased well-being through being in a more enjoyable environment Increased capacity for problem solving The greenhouse of the Seapark, Kumla Arbetsträning, sysselsättning Uppskattat konferens- och utflyktsmål Gårdsten i GBG Grönsaker för de boende Inte svårt att få lotterna utlånade? Ökad integration och bättre språkkunskaper Foodpark in Skarpnäck Grönsaker för medlemmar. Ökad kunskap bland barn genom samarbete med skolan Ökad gemenskap (odling+vårfest+ sticklingbytardagar) Ökad gemenskap gör att man löser problem bättre Garden on tracks Grönsaker för medlemmar. Utbildning för skolbarn. Det är kul, det är bra häng och socialt. Kafé samt gemensamt arbete Gemensam planering av odling och skörd Run by Kommun Bostadsbolag Ideell förening Ideell förening Source Egna intervjuer Egna intervjuer Eriksson, 2014 Gregorsson, 2014
Three social sustainability criteria that UAS could fullfill as well as how that could happen 1) Increased standard (by acccess to vetegables, work training and more knowledge) 2) A more enjoyable environment 3) Increased problem solving capacity (get to know your neighbours, learn language)
Thank you!