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Urban Commons for the Edible City—First Insights for Future Sustainable Urban Food Systems from Berlin, Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Nadine Scharf

    (Lokale Agenda 21 für Dresden e.V., Schützengasse 18, 01067 Dresden, Germany)

  • Thomas Wachtel

    (Integrative Research Institute THESys Transformation of Human-Environment-Systems, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Suhana E. Reddy

    (Integrative Research Institute THESys Transformation of Human-Environment-Systems, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Ina Säumel

    (Integrative Research Institute THESys Transformation of Human-Environment-Systems, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
    Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Urban planning is facing multi-layered challenges to manage the transformation towards a more sustainable and inclusive society. The recently evolved concept of an “urban commons” responds to the crucial need to re-situate residents as key actors. Urban food commons summarize all initiatives that are food-related (e.g., cultivation, harvest, and distribution), aiming at a visualization and utilization of value chains and the commons-based linkage between them. We explored first insights of food commons in Berlin based on semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Urban food commons strengthen identification, participation, self-organization, and social resilience, are steered by bottom-up processes, and can be a powerful tool for a transformation towards urban sustainability. However, a viable political integration of existing initiatives lacks due to structural implementation problems. Respondents recommend a pooling of all initiatives in a strong network and a mediation interface to coordinate between food commons and city administration and politics. A combined approach of commons and edible cities will be helpful for the development of future prove food systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Nadine Scharf & Thomas Wachtel & Suhana E. Reddy & Ina Säumel, 2019. "Urban Commons for the Edible City—First Insights for Future Sustainable Urban Food Systems from Berlin, Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:4:p:966-:d:205735
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christian Borch & Martin Kornberger, 2015. "Urban Commons : Rethinking the City," Post-Print hal-02298209, HAL.
    2. Euler, Johannes, 2018. "Conceptualizing the Commons: Moving Beyond the Goods-based Definition by Introducing the Social Practices of Commoning as Vital Determinant," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 10-16.
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    Cited by:

    1. Marta Castrica & Vera Ventura & Sara Panseri & Giovanni Ferrazzi & Doriana Tedesco & Claudia Maria Balzaretti, 2020. "The Sustainability of Urban Food Systems: The Case of Mozzarella Production in the City of Milan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-13, January.
    2. Katarzyna Świąder & Dražena Čermak & Danuta Gajewska & Katarzyna Najman & Anna Piotrowska & Eliza Kostyra, 2023. "Opportunities and Constraints for Creating Edible Cities and Accessing Wholesome Functional Foods in a Sustainable Way," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-28, May.
    3. Benjamin Hennchen & Michael Pregernig, 2020. "Organizing Joint Practices in Urban Food Initiatives—A Comparative Analysis of Gardening, Cooking and Eating Together," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Andreas Exner & Carla Weinzierl & Livia Cepoiu & Stephanie Arzberger & Clive L. Spash, 2021. "Smart and Edible: How Edible Cities Create Smart Public Spaces," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2021_09, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    5. Oliveira, Renata Lúcia Magalhães de & Santos, Igor Vieira & Graciano, Guilherme Fonseca & Cunha Libânio, André Augusto & Kelli de Oliveira, Leise & Bracarense, Lílian dos Santos Fontes Pereira, 2021. "A sustainable approach for urban farming based on city logistics concepts for local production and consumption of vegetables," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    6. Thomas Krikser & Ingo Zasada & Annette Piorr, 2019. "Socio-Economic Viability of Urban Agriculture—A Comparative Analysis of Success Factors in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-12, April.
    7. Juan E. Núñez-Ríos & Norman Aguilar-Gallegos & Jacqueline Y. Sánchez-García & Pedro Pablo Cardoso-Castro, 2020. "Systemic Design for Food Self-Sufficiency in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-25, September.

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