Slideshow on lessons learned in urban agriculture on the website of IDRC

Please click on this link http://www.cityfarmer.info/category/video/ to watch videos by Michael Levenston on:

• Vacant Lot in Down

Thilak T. Ranasinghe

In: UA Magazine no. 19 - Stimulating Innovation in Urban Agriculture

Home gardening is usually seen as a subsistence-oriented production system. However, in urban and suburban areas land is a precious
resource, which is why home gardening can be turned into a profitable production system. In this context the concept of the Family Business Garden was launched on World Environment Day 2000 in Sri Lanka.

H. de Zeeuw

Key note paper for the International Conference

Takawira Mubvami, Shingirayi Mushamba and Henk de Zeeuw

In: Cities Farming for the Future - Urban Agriculture for Green and Productive Cities

Urban agriculture is a relatively new urban issue, in which different sectors and institutions are involved. It requires the development of new planning practices, or the adaptation of existing ones, and supportive policies. The preceding chapter argues that participatory and multi-stakeholder processes and tools are required in this process. This chapter elaborates on this argument by focusing on urban land use planning. It takes a South East African perspective and analyses the different paradigms, approaches and tools towards urban policy making and planning related to urban agriculture. Major issues and challenges include the distribution, control of and access to the use of land and other resources, conflicts between uses and users and the regulatory framework for urban agriculture. The chapter ends with a discussion on planning tools and techniques which can be used to integrate urban agriculture into urban planning and development.

René van Veenhuizen

In: Cities Farming for the Future - Urban Agriculture for Green and Productive Cities

Attention to urban agriculture has increased markedly during the last couple of decades. The number of activities to promote urban agriculture at international, national and local level has grown, but urban farmers in many cities in the world still struggle to get their main survival strategy recognised by city authorities. The demand of policy makers and local practitioners for inspiring examples of successful policies and actions in cities is therefore growing. Urban agriculture contributes to a wide variety of urban issues and is increasingly being accepted and used as a tool in sustainable city development. Currently the challenge is its integration into city planning and facilitation of its multiple benefits for urban inhabitants. This book seeks to present the current state of affairs regarding urban agriculture and sustainable urban development.

Wednesday June 21, 13.30 - 15.30 hrs.
Room MR03
The session is organized by McGill University-Canada in cooperation with RUAF partner ETC Urban Agriculture and supported by IDRC.

This panel is based on the experiences gained in the Making the Edible Landscape project, jointly implemented by the above mentioned organisations and local partners in Kampala, Colombo and Rosario.

It will explore how land can be utilized by local authorities for (1) low-cost housing for the urban poor (2) inclusion in low cost housing projects of urban food production and empowerment of citizens through participatory processes, commercialization and income-generation (3) public-private partnership for sustainable development. Four mayors, horticulturists, housing experts and community representatives from the above mentioned cities as well as from Montreal will present urban upgrading and new construction projects that include food production and where the community plays an active part in both the decision-making and the maintenance of public lands.