Abstract
This chapter has the aim to analyze the implications and interrelationships between a sustainable urban agro ecology and the food system. The beginning assumption of this analytical review considers that sustainable urban agro ecology has positive implications in the development of a sustainable urban food system. The analysis is based on the theoretical and empirical literature review confronted with common spatial-functional observations of urban development and configurations. The analysis concludes that the sustainable urban food system based on agro ecology is growing as an alternative movement towards the building and maintenance of a fairer and healthier urban sustainable environmental development.
TopUrban Agro Ecology
Agro ecology requires a fundamental cultural and philosophical approach to productive and efficient agriculture. Farming land had been incorporated by ancient cities. The new colonies of Greeks and Romans were settled around the agricultural activities (Kostof, 1991). Mediterranean and Middle Eastern societies have cultivated gardens for aesthetic and production purposes (O’Brien, 2010a). During the medieval times, agricultural farming land was available around the city walls (Cockrall-King, 2012; Howe et al., 2005; Steel, 2008). Steel (2008) and Van der Schans and Wiskerke (2012).During the pre-industrial times, intensive farming disappeared from cities and agriculture was relocated in an urban-rural divide.
Some former industrial cities in developed countries, now in shrinkage processes have a large supply of vacant lots where a large range of people are engaging in urban agro ecology (Colosanti & Hamm 2010). Urban agro ecology is a strategy for regenerating shrinking cities and leveraging a treatment for vacant land. The shrinking cities context of urban agro ecology in community garden projects have an influence on the benefits to community members contributing to the stability of (Tranel & Handlin, 2006).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Urban Agro Ecology: Is called agroecological practices that are developed in or near cities. Urban agroecology usually develops on the roofs of buildings, on the walls of houses and on the balconies and terraces of buildings.
Transition: Step or change from one state, way of being, etc., to another. Intermediate state between an older one and another that is reached in a change.
Food System: Refers to food produced, processed, distributed, and consumed locally.
Environmental Development: An economic and social development that respects the environment. The objective of sustainable development is to define viable projects and reconcile the economic, social, and environmental aspects of human activities; It is about making progress in these areas without having to destroy the environment.
Ecosystem Services: They are resources or processes of natural ecosystems (goods and services) that benefit human beings. It includes products such as clean drinking water and processes such as waste decomposition.
Agro Ecology: Is the discipline that is responsible for administering the ecological principles of the production of food, fuels, fibers, and pharmaceuticals. This encompasses a wide range of approaches and they consider it a science and a way of seeing life, whether organic, conventional, intensive, or extensive.