Urban Agriculture as a Means to Food Sovereignty? A Case Study of Baltimore City Residents

Abstract

A large body of research suggests that neighborhood disparities in food access persist. Emerging evidence suggests that the global COVID-19 pandemic likely exacerbated disparities in food access. Given the potential role that alternative food networks (AFNs) and local food sources may play during times of extreme scarcity, this study examines urban agriculture (e. g., community farms and gardens) as a sustainable strategy to address food insecurity. In-depth qualitative interviews with fifteen community stakeholders revealed several major themes including food insecurity as a feature of systemic racism, food affordability and distance to food as major barriers to food security, and the role of AFNs in creating community empowerment. Our findings indicate that urban agricultural practices help build social capital, inform and educate community members about healthy eating behaviors, and facilitate the distribution of affordable food. Implications for future research and policy targeting sustainable food distribution in marginalized communities of color are discussed.

Global Landscape of Urban Agriculture and Covid-19 Research: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…The research in this group focused on urban agriculture and its relation to marginalised communities, which is linked to topics such as racism, inequities, and disparities. The studies explored the racism, inequities, and inequalities faced by marginalised populations during Covid-19 (Colson-Fearon & Versey, 2022), with urban agriculture being introduced as a potential solution to address issues of food access and inequities faced by these communities (Colson-Fearon & Versey, 2022;Kaika & Racelis, 2021;O'Hara & Toussaint, 2021). However, there are contradictory studies that call for a rethinking of the policy of urban agriculture practices in marginalised communities, taking into account the lens of structural extermination (Toussaint, 2021) and the settler-colonialism and post-colonial literature on cities and urban planning (Sassano et al, 2022).…”

Hydroponics: current trends in sustainable crop production

“…Education and Awareness: This study aims to increase public awareness and knowledge regarding food sustainability and the advantages of locally cultivated produce. Research suggests that urban farming initiatives in schools, community centres, and residential areas can involve citizens in sustainable food production and create a sense of food security [ 93 ]. Policy Support and Incentives: Research suggests that implementing supportive policies and incentives can effectively promote urban farming initiatives.…”

The Role of Agricultural Systems in Teaching Kitchens: An Integrative Review and Thoughts for the Future

“…With undeniable evidence of the association between the Standard American Diet and poor health outcomes, communities are revitalizing local agricultural systems as one way to promote public health. Local food networks allow consumers to directly access community gardens, urban or rural farms, farming cooperatives, farm-to-school programs, and farmer’s markets [ 10 ]. It is well recognized that neighborhoods with limited access to affordable, healthy food (i.e., food insecurity) experience poorer health outcomes than those with greater access [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

“…It is well recognized that neighborhoods with limited access to affordable, healthy food (i.e., food insecurity) experience poorer health outcomes than those with greater access [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Therefore, promoting local agriculture may provide a more effective and sustainable method to address food access inequality by supporting organizations that provide health-promoting foods to underserved communities [ 10 ].…”

“…In one interview, a Baltimore farmer explained how she highlights the diversity of the food she grows and teaches workshop participants how to utilize these foods in their kitchens. By doing so, she hopes to help families create lifelong healthy eating habits [ 10 ]. This example underscores the potential synergy between TKs, local agriculture, and community health education.…”