Urban Agriculture Framework: Social-Ecological Effects

Key Takeaways

1. The research by Qiu et al. (2024) proposes scaling up urban agriculture to achieve resilient and sustainable urban systems.
2. The current understanding of the processes and pathways for expanding urban agriculture is fragmented across various disciplines and sectors.
3. The study presents an integrated conceptual framework of urban agriculture, drawing on multiple disciplinary domains.
4. It reveals the social–ecological effects of urban agriculture across scales and demonstrates multi-phase developmental pathways for its expansion.
5. Critical considerations for scaling up include diversity, connectivity, spatial synergies, nonlinearity, and polycentric governance.

A Transdisciplinary Approach to Scaling Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities

In a groundbreaking study, Qiu et al. (2024) address the critical role of urban agriculture in fostering resilient and sustainable urban ecosystems. Despite the recognized potential, the understanding of effectively scaling up urban agriculture remains fragmented. The research aims to bridge this gap by offering an integrated framework and a transdisciplinary roadmap for expanding urban agriculture.

Integrated Conceptual Framework

Drawing on various disciplinary domains, the researchers present a comprehensive conceptual framework of urban agriculture. This framework synthesizes existing literature to reveal urban agriculture’s social and ecological impacts at different scales. It aims to provide a holistic view of urban agricultural practices’ complex interactions and effects.

Multi-Phase Developmental Pathways

The study meticulously outlines plausible multi-phase developmental pathways for scaling up urban agriculture. It delves into the dynamics, accelerators, and feedback mechanisms that could facilitate or hinder its growth. These pathways are vital for understanding the stepwise progression and critical junctures in expanding urban agricultural practices.

Key Considerations for Scaling Up

Qiu et al. emphasize several crucial considerations for scaling up urban agriculture. These include:

• Diversity and Heterogeneity: Recognizing and fostering various agricultural practices to suit different urban contexts.
• Connectivity: Ensuring urban agriculture is well-integrated with other urban systems and processes.
• Spatial Synergies and Trade-offs: Balancing the benefits of urban agriculture with potential conflicts with other land uses.
• Nonlinearity: Preparing for unexpected changes and emergent properties as urban agriculture scales.
• Scale and Polycentricity: Consider the implications at different scales and promote polycentric governance structures.

A Roadmap for Policy and Planning

The framework proposed by the researchers serves as a transdisciplinary roadmap for policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders. It underscores the need for collaborative engagement to scale up urban agriculture and trigger transformative change effectively. By addressing the outlined considerations, cities can move towards a future that is more resilient and sustainable.

Read the study here.