“We must make local and state food policy and regional food planning as common as any other feature of civic life. Food policy councils should be a regular part of local and state government. Food systems should be a routine part of the planning profession.”
p. 190
” I do not believe that community and urban agriculture make enormous contributions to food security, I do believe that they offer admirable building blocks for community development and vital training grounds for competent food citizens.” p. 189
“And in what may be a first for any city, Chicago issues a position paper on the 2007 U.S. farm bill articulating its interest in the future of national food and farm policy.” p. 169
Much like with climate change, perhaps food security is an issue that will be taken on at the local level rather than waiting for leadership at the national level.
Hartford Food System study found that “Low income families were more likely to be food secure if their social capital – that is, their connection to local social networks – was high.” p. 168
Community gardens can help build these social capital connections as argued by Lyson.
“A good part of the reason that there is so much potential to create policies promoting food security, local food systems, and economic justice at the local and state levels is that this is the arena in which people and small, local organizations participate.” p. 167
“For community gardeners to be successful in their rugged urban environments – to say nothing of making more than a minor contribution to closing the food gap – cities must make a serious commitment to providing land that is suitable for gardening, … adequate funding, [and]… training and technical assistance.” p. 67-68
Kaufman and Bailkey identify the 7 major challenges as:
1. skepticism toward urban ag
2. lack of funding, especially for start up expenses
3. not seen as the best use of vacant land by government officials
4. toxic soil or the fear of them
5. crime, including vandalism and theft
6. community gardening seen as frivolous when cities are struggling to provide basic services
7. lack of skill and knowledge and training for such skills
p. 66-67
community scraped up enough money through grants, etc. to actually purchase the land on which they garden.
located in South Central LA
p. 64-66
“When a single person emerges who knows the neighborhood, knows how to make city hall listen, and has the respect of the community, success will most likely follow.”
p. 64
Don’t know much about this but it is mentioned on p. 63. Might be worth looking into more.
Urban Agriculture 