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Toward Sustainability: Novelties, Areas of Learning and Innovation in Urban Agriculture

Author

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  • Ina Opitz

    (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Institute of Socio-Economics, Eberswalder Straße 84, Müncheberg 15374, Germany
    Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Kathrin Specht

    (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Institute of Socio-Economics, Eberswalder Straße 84, Müncheberg 15374, Germany
    Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Regine Berges

    (agrathaer GmbH, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany)

  • Rosemarie Siebert

    (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Institute of Socio-Economics, Eberswalder Straße 84, Müncheberg 15374, Germany)

  • Annette Piorr

    (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Institute of Socio-Economics, Eberswalder Straße 84, Müncheberg 15374, Germany)

Abstract

Given the search for new solutions to better prepare cities for the future, in recent years, urban agriculture (UA) has gained in relevance. Within the context of UA, innovative organizational and technical approaches are generated and tested. They can be understood as novelties that begin a potential innovation process. This empirical study is based on 17 qualitative interviews in the U.S. (NYC; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chicago, IL, USA). The aim was to identify: (i) the most relevant areas of learning and innovation; (ii) the drivers of innovation; (iii) the applied novelties and their specific approach to overcoming the perceived obstacles; (iv) the intrinsic challenges that practitioners face in the innovation process; and (v) the novelties’ potential to contribute to sustainability and societal change. As the results of the study demonstrate, learning and innovation in UA occur predominantly in four areas, namely, “financing and funding”, “production, technology and infrastructure”, “markets and demands” and “social acceptance and cultural learning”. The described novelties include approaches to enhance the positive impacts of practicing agriculture within urban areas, and some of them have the potential to contribute to societal change and open up opportunities for social learning processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Ina Opitz & Kathrin Specht & Regine Berges & Rosemarie Siebert & Annette Piorr, 2016. "Toward Sustainability: Novelties, Areas of Learning and Innovation in Urban Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:4:p:356-:d:68073
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kathrin Specht & Rosemarie Siebert & Ina Hartmann & Ulf Freisinger & Magdalena Sawicka & Armin Werner & Susanne Thomaier & Dietrich Henckel & Heike Walk & Axel Dierich, 2014. "Urban agriculture of the future: an overview of sustainability aspects of food production in and on buildings," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(1), pages 33-51, March.
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    4. Laura Saldivar-tanaka & Marianne Krasny, 2004. "Culturing community development, neighborhood open space, and civic agriculture: The case of Latino community gardens in New York City," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 21(4), pages 399-412, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Maćkiewicz Barbara & Asuero Raúl Puente & Almonacid Antonio Garrido, 2019. "Urban Agriculture as the Path to Sustainable City Development. Insights into Allotment Gardens in Andalusia," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 38(2), pages 121-136, June.
    2. Thomas Krikser & Annette Piorr & Regine Berges & Ina Opitz, 2016. "Urban Agriculture Oriented towards Self-Supply, Social and Commercial Purpose: A Typology," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Nicole Rogge & Insa Theesfeld & Carola Strassner, 2018. "Social Sustainability through Social Interaction—A National Survey on Community Gardens in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Esther Sanyé-Mengual & Kathrin Specht & Erofili Grapsa & Francesco Orsini & Giorgio Gianquinto, 2019. "How Can Innovation in Urban Agriculture Contribute to Sustainability? A Characterization and Evaluation Study from Five Western European Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-31, August.
    5. Martina Artmann & Katharina Sartison, 2018. "The Role of Urban Agriculture as a Nature-Based Solution: A Review for Developing a Systemic Assessment Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-32, June.
    6. Bastian Winkler & Anika Maier & Iris Lewandowski, 2019. "Urban Gardening in Germany: Cultivating a Sustainable Lifestyle for the Societal Transition to a Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, February.
    7. Zasada, I. & Weltin, M. & Zoll, F. & Benninger, S.L., 2018. "Urban Agricultural Practice in Residential Areas of Pune (India) and the Contribution to Urban Sustainability," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 276992, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Qureshi, Salman & Tarashkar, Mahsa & Matloobi, Mansour & Wang, Zhifang & Rahimi, Akbar, 2022. "Understanding the dynamics of urban horticulture by socially-oriented practices and populace perception: Seeking future outlook through a comprehensive review," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    9. Jesus Ochoa & Esther Sanyé-Mengual & Kathrin Specht & Juan A. Fernández & Sebastián Bañón & Francesco Orsini & Francesca Magrefi & Giovanni Bazzocchi & Severin Halder & Doerte Martens & Noemi Kappel &, 2019. "Sustainable Community Gardens Require Social Engagement and Training: A Users’ Needs Analysis in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-16, July.

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