What is Urban Agriculture?

Urban agriculture can be defined simply as the growing of plants and raising of animals within and around urban areas. The most striking feature of urban agriculture, which distinguishes it from rural agriculture, is that it is integrated into the urban economic and ecological system.

Such linkages include an urban labor base, use of urban resources such as water and compost, direct links with urban consumers, integration with the urban food system, urban ecological impacts, competing for land with other urban uses, being influenced by urban policies and plans, etc.

Here’s a bit more detail on the various dimensions that comprise an urban agricultural system. If you think of any we’re missing, please share them with us at info@urbanfarmhub.org or post them in the comments section.

• Types of location
  Urban agriculture may take place in locations inside the cities or in the surrounding areas. The activities may take place on your own land or on land located away from your primary residence such as in a p-patch or community garden. Larger operations may take place on private land, public land, or on land owned by institutional uses such as schools and hospitals.
• Types of products grown
  Urban agriculture includes food products from different types of crops and animals as well as non-food products such as aromatic and medicinal herbs, ornamental plants, tree products, etc. Often the more perishable and relatively high-valued vegetables and animal products and by-products are favored. Production units in urban agriculture in general tend to be more specialized than rural enterprises, and exchanges take place across production units.
• Types of economic activities
  Urban agriculture includes agricultural production activities as well as related processing and marketing activities as well as inputs (e.g. compost) and services delivery (e.g. animal health services) by specialized micro-enterprises.  In urban agriculture, production and marketing tend to be more closely interrelated in terms of time and space thanks to greater geographic proximity and readily available resources.
• Product destination
  Urban agricultural products are either consumed by the grower, given to a local food bank, or sold on-site, in local shops and restaurants, and at local farmers markets.
• Scales of production and technology used
  In urban areas there can be a range of farm types; individual or family farms, group or cooperative farms and commercial enterprises at various scales ranging from micro- and small farms (the majority) to medium-sized and some large-scale enterprises. The tendency is towards more technically advanced and smaller plot intensive agriculture.

Related posts:

1. B.C. Lab Revolutionizing Urban Agriculture Production
2. Viertel, Falk and Cohen Chime In On Ways to Expand Urban Agriculture
3. The Origins of Urban Agriculture

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