Urban agriculture in South Africa has been historically labelled as an illegal activity. This has been compounded by the traditional planning system in South Africa that did not recognise urban agriculture as part of the land use in the urban landscape. However despite its illegality, current evidence shows that it is commonly practised by many poor households in developing countries. There is growing evidence that most countries are gradually seeing the value of urban agriculture among poor households and to this end, they are beginning to realise the importance of incorporating it in their urban policy packages. Despite this recognition and acceptance of urban agriculture as a livelihood and food security strategy among the urban poor, little attention is paid to it. This research examines urban agriculture from a purely spatial planning perspective by way of elaborating on the spatial allocation of land for urban agriculture. The focus of the research is on identifying the factors that explain the unresponsiveness of the town planning system and challenges that confront urban farmers with the intention to suggest alternatives. At the core of the town planning system, are legislations and policies. Despite these irresponsive legislations such as NEMA and Health Act which hinder the practice of urban agriculture along sensitive areas such as river banks and road reserves urban agriculture continues to flourish. Regardless of minimal support from local authority the research findings show that the practise of agriculture is a common phenomenon among urban poor. The onus is therefore on the local authorities to promote it by putting in place mechanisms that should promote its growth and integrate it into mainstream development plans. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

A presente pesquisa analisou as Agriculturas Urbanas de Belém-PA e Porto Alegre-RS no que se refere aos papéis e funções socioeconômicas da atividade nos espaços em que ocorrem suas práticas. A opção pelos dois municípios envolveu trabalhos anteriores que evidenciaram a existência da atividade e fomentaram a curiosidade na observação do fenômeno no Norte e no Sul do Brasil. Focando a análise da dinâmica espacial e suas interações socioeconômicas evidenciou-se perspectivas distintas de ações e práticas bem como de enfoques dados à Agricultura Urbana nos dois Municípios. Foi possível perceber que a atividade agrícola situada no espaço urbano tende a se adaptar a demandas citadinas e/ou relacionar-se com práticas agropecuárias desejadas pelos atores. Inicialmente percebe-se a existência de expansão do território urbano, o que é uma tendência contemporânea e que já desvirtua a própria delimitação do espaço rural e urbano. Simultaneamente existem áreas transitórias em que a atividade agrícola segue com relevância no contexto local. Nas áreas mais centrais ocorrem apenas demandas específicas no que se refere à agricultura. Foi possível observar que existe um benefício desta prática no âmbito urbano, uma vez que a mesma possibilita “encurtar canais” do produtor até o consumidor, exceto quando o produtor enfrenta dificuldades na logística da cadeia produtiva. Assim, a pesquisa mostrou maior vantagem socioeconômica às produções que visaram à comercialização e o autoconsumo, pois manteve a diversificação de produtos na mesa e garantiu renda para os indivíduos. As diferenciações observadas da produção do Norte e do Sul se deram principalmente no foco produtivo, considerando desde oportunidades de mercado até dificuldades físicas enfrentadas pelos produtores. A produção agrícola sulina demonstrou ser mais comercial do que a produção do norte, preferencialmente direcionada ao autoconsumo. Por fim, constatou-se que existem Agriculturas Urbanas, que se apresentam de diversas formas, desde a pequena produção em hortas até cultivos maiores, expressando diferentes estratégias, organizações e focos produtivos. / The present research analyzed the urban agricultures in the municipalities of Belém-PA and Porto Alegre-RS, evaluating the socioeconomical role and function of this activity in spaces where it is applied. The municipalities were chosen on the basis of previous studies evidencing the presence of such activities, as these fomented the curiosity in the observation of the phenomenon in the North and South of Brasil. Focusing the analysis in the spatial dynamics and its socioeconomical interactions, we could detect distinct actions and practices in both municipalities, which also differ in terms of the importance given to the urban agriculture. It was possible to realize that the agricultural activity situated in the urban space tends to adapt itself to the cities demands and/or be related to the agropecuary practices whished by the authors. First, the existence of an expansion of the urban space could be notes, which is a contemporary tendency that distorts the delimitation of the rural and urban spaces. Simultaneously, there are areas of transition in which the agricultural activity continues relevant in the local context. In the central areas there are only specific demands related to the agriculture. It was possible to observe the existence of a benefit of this practice in the urban scope, since it enables to “shorten the channels” between the producer and the consumer, except when the producer deals with difficulties in the productive chain logistics. So, the research showed more socioeconomical advantages for the productions aimed to the commercialization and autoconsumtion, because these maintained the diversification of products in the table and guaranteed an income for the individuals. The differentiation observed between North and South productions occurred mainly in the productive plan, considering market opportunities and physical difficulties faced by producers. The agricultural production in the south was shown to be more commercial than that in the north, preferentially related to autoconsumption. Finally, we found that there are urban agricultures that manifest themselves in different ways, from the small production in vegetable gardens to bigger crops, expressing different strategies, organizations and productive focus.

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Essa dissertação busca identificar e analisar elementos que explicam a perenidade do rural na região do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (VS), em uma perspectiva de desenvolvimento rural. A região está localizada na Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre (RMPA), no estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brasil. Assim, busca-se (a) caracterizar a região do VS, com ênfase no setor primário da economia; (b) proceder ao levantamento da percepção sobre a agricultura na região, a partir de entrevistas com agentes institucionais; (c) proceder a caracterização econômica e social da agricultura da região e a identificação das causas que justificam sua permanência em uma região majoritariamente urbano-industrial; e (d) analisar possibilidades de desenvolvimento rural. Em parte, buscou-se referenciais teóricos que explicam a perenidade do rural em uma região urbana e industrial, calcados, sobretudo, em elementos como a localização das atividades econômicas e o papel do meio rural em um ambiente estilizado pelo meio urbano. Em uma segunda etapa, são analisados os resultados encontrados no meio rural do VS, tanto com os agricultores quanto junto às instituições que operam para o desenvolvimento rural da região. / The aim of this dissertation is to identify and analyze the factors which explain the continuity of the rural in the Sinos River Valley (VS) in an agricultural development standpoint. Thus, it aims to (a) characterize the VS region, emphasizing the primary sector of the economy; (b) survey the perception of agriculture in the region by interviewing institutional agents; (c) socially and economically characterize the region's agriculture and identify the reasons that justify its continuity in a urban-industrial region; (d) analyze possibilities of agricultural development. Initially, theoretical references that would explain the continuity of the rural in an urban and industrial region, based mainly on elements such as the localization of the economic activities and the role of the countryside in an environment labeled as urban, were tracked. Then, the results found for Sinos River Valley countryside were analyzed, both from the rural workers viewpoint as well as the region's development institutions.

A presente pesquisa analisou as Agriculturas Urbanas de Belém-PA e Porto Alegre-RS no que se refere aos papéis e funções socioeconômicas da atividade nos espaços em que ocorrem suas práticas. A opção pelos dois municípios envolveu trabalhos anteriores que evidenciaram a existência da atividade e fomentaram a curiosidade na observação do fenômeno no Norte e no Sul do Brasil. Focando a análise da dinâmica espacial e suas interações socioeconômicas evidenciou-se perspectivas distintas de ações e práticas bem como de enfoques dados à Agricultura Urbana nos dois Municípios. Foi possível perceber que a atividade agrícola situada no espaço urbano tende a se adaptar a demandas citadinas e/ou relacionar-se com práticas agropecuárias desejadas pelos atores. Inicialmente percebe-se a existência de expansão do território urbano, o que é uma tendência contemporânea e que já desvirtua a própria delimitação do espaço rural e urbano. Simultaneamente existem áreas transitórias em que a atividade agrícola segue com relevância no contexto local. Nas áreas mais centrais ocorrem apenas demandas específicas no que se refere à agricultura. Foi possível observar que existe um benefício desta prática no âmbito urbano, uma vez que a mesma possibilita “encurtar canais” do produtor até o consumidor, exceto quando o produtor enfrenta dificuldades na logística da cadeia produtiva. Assim, a pesquisa mostrou maior vantagem socioeconômica às produções que visaram à comercialização e o autoconsumo, pois manteve a diversificação de produtos na mesa e garantiu renda para os indivíduos. As diferenciações observadas da produção do Norte e do Sul se deram principalmente no foco produtivo, considerando desde oportunidades de mercado até dificuldades físicas enfrentadas pelos produtores. A produção agrícola sulina demonstrou ser mais comercial do que a produção do norte, preferencialmente direcionada ao autoconsumo. Por fim, constatou-se que existem Agriculturas Urbanas, que se apresentam de diversas formas, desde a pequena produção em hortas até cultivos maiores, expressando diferentes estratégias, organizações e focos produtivos. / The present research analyzed the urban agricultures in the municipalities of Belém-PA and Porto Alegre-RS, evaluating the socioeconomical role and function of this activity in spaces where it is applied. The municipalities were chosen on the basis of previous studies evidencing the presence of such activities, as these fomented the curiosity in the observation of the phenomenon in the North and South of Brasil. Focusing the analysis in the spatial dynamics and its socioeconomical interactions, we could detect distinct actions and practices in both municipalities, which also differ in terms of the importance given to the urban agriculture. It was possible to realize that the agricultural activity situated in the urban space tends to adapt itself to the cities demands and/or be related to the agropecuary practices whished by the authors. First, the existence of an expansion of the urban space could be notes, which is a contemporary tendency that distorts the delimitation of the rural and urban spaces. Simultaneously, there are areas of transition in which the agricultural activity continues relevant in the local context. In the central areas there are only specific demands related to the agriculture. It was possible to observe the existence of a benefit of this practice in the urban scope, since it enables to “shorten the channels” between the producer and the consumer, except when the producer deals with difficulties in the productive chain logistics. So, the research showed more socioeconomical advantages for the productions aimed to the commercialization and autoconsumtion, because these maintained the diversification of products in the table and guaranteed an income for the individuals. The differentiation observed between North and South productions occurred mainly in the productive plan, considering market opportunities and physical difficulties faced by producers. The agricultural production in the south was shown to be more commercial than that in the north, preferentially related to autoconsumption. Finally, we found that there are urban agricultures that manifest themselves in different ways, from the small production in vegetable gardens to bigger crops, expressing different strategies, organizations and productive focus.

O crescimento desordenado dos centros urbanos distancia o homem da natureza. Este cenário é intensificado com o crescimento populacional nas cidades, que poderá atingir, em 2030, 60% da população mundial. As ações do homem vêm transformando gradativamente o espaço habitado e essas transformações, muitas vezes são negativas, provocando a degradação e dete-rioração do ambiente urbano, tornando-o hostil e com condições de habitabilidade inadequa-das. A qualidade ambiental urbana depende de um conjunto de aspectos: sociais, ecológicos, biológicos, econômicos, tipológicos, tecnológicos e paisagísticos, estando diretamente ligada ao conforto no ambiente construído, no qual as áreas verdes cumprem um papel fundamental para manter o equilíbrio e são indicadores importantes da qualidade de vida. Muitas cidades não conseguem administrar adequadamente o rápido crescimento da população e enfrentam enormes desafios no planejamento e gerenciamento do espaço urbano. As situações econômi-cas e políticas instáveis, em adição a fenômenos naturais agravam ainda mais essa condição de vulnerabilidade. Dentro deste quadro, modelos econômicos mais justos e preocupações com a saúde e a alimentação, são questões que estão ganhando destaque no cenário mundial. Uma das alternativas que pode contribuir neste sentido é a Agricultura Urbana, que além de colaborar para a segurança alimentar, produzindo alimentos perto de seus consumidores, re-duz a pegada ecológica e contribui no aumento das áreas verdes das cidades e na diminuição de impactos sobre os recursos hídricos, entre outros. Diante desse contexto, o objetivo dessa dissertação é a investigação e análise das experiências das hortas escolares do município de Feliz como uma ferramenta educativa para a difusão de conhecimentos sobre a prática de produção de alimento no meio urbano. O método de pesquisa adotado foi o Estudo de Ca-so. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em três fases: a primeira, definição e planejamento, trata da busca de referencial teórico sobre o tema, do planejamento da pesquisa e da seleção dos casos investigados; a segunda, preparação, coleta e análise, aborda a condução dos estudos de ca-sos investigados, procedimentos de coleta e análise dos dados e a terceira, análises e conclu-sões, versa sobre as análises dos dados e dos resultados obtidos. A investigação e observa-ção junto aos casos de estudo, escolas municipais e estaduais, somadas a órgãos do Estado, localizados no município de Feliz, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul e seu contexto, resultou nas fontes de evidências da pesquisa. Os resultados indicaram que as atividades desenvolvi-das com os alunos envolvidos na implantação das hortas escolares e o envolvimento da co-munidade e técnicos de órgãos do Estado contribuem para a difusão de práticas de produção de alimentos no meio urbano, provendo a criação de espaços mais saudáveis e uma melhor qualidade de vida no meio urbano. Verificou-se, também, que o projeto horta escolar promove a participação social, desenvolvendo as habilidades coletivas dos alunos, integrando a comu-nidade escolar com a comunidade local e a sociedade civil organizada. Esses resultados apon-tam para um potencial a ser desenvolvido e explorado, sobre o papel da escola na difusão do conceito Agricultura Urbana, podendo a vir constituir uma proposta viável entre as políticas públicas. / The uncontrolled growth of urban centers distance man from nature. This scenario is intensi-fied with population growth in cities, which could reach, in 2030, 60% of the world popula-tion. Human activities have gradually been transforming the living space and these changes are often negative, causing the degradation and deterioration of the urban environment, mak-ing it hostile and with inadequate housing conditions. The urban environmental quality de-pends on a group of aspects: social, ecological, biological, economical, typological, techno-logical and landscaping and is directly linked to the environmental comfort of the buildings, in which the green areas play a key role in maintaining the balance and are important indica-tors of life quality. Many cities cannot properly manage the rapid growth of the population and face enormous challenges in the planning and management of urban space. The unstable economic and political situations, in addition to natural phenomena further aggravate this vul-nerable condition. Within this framework fairer economic models, health and nutrition are issues that are gaining prominence on the world stage. One of the alternatives that can con-tribute is the Urban Agriculture, which in addition to contribute to food security, by producing food close to its consumers, reduces the ecological footprint and helps increasing the green areas of cities and reducing impacts on resources water, among others. In this context, the aim of this thesis is to research the potential for integration of urban agriculture as a more sustain-able strategy for the production of food in a small city, from the analysis of case studies of school gardens in the town of Feliz. The research method adopted was the Case Study. The research was conducted in three phases: the first, definition and planning, deals with the search theoretical framework on the subject, the planning of the research and the selection of cases to be investigated; the second, preparation, collection and analysis, deals with the stud-ying of the researched cases and data collection and analysis and the third, analysis and con-clusions, deals with the analysis of the data and the results obtained. Research and observation together with the researched cases, municipal and state schools, added to State agencies, lo-cated in the town of Feliz in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and its context, are the sources of evidence for this research. The results indicated that the activities with the students involved in the implementation of school gardens and community involvement and technicians from State agencies contribute to the spread of food production practices in urban areas, providing the creation of healthier spaces and a better quality of life in urban areas. It was also verified that the school garden project promotes social participation, developing the collective skills of the students by integrating school community with the local community and organized civil society. These results point to a potential to be developed on the school's role in spreading the concept of Urban Agriculture that and may come to be a viable proposal in public policies.

Essa dissertação busca identificar e analisar elementos que explicam a perenidade do rural na região do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (VS), em uma perspectiva de desenvolvimento rural. A região está localizada na Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre (RMPA), no estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brasil. Assim, busca-se (a) caracterizar a região do VS, com ênfase no setor primário da economia; (b) proceder ao levantamento da percepção sobre a agricultura na região, a partir de entrevistas com agentes institucionais; (c) proceder a caracterização econômica e social da agricultura da região e a identificação das causas que justificam sua permanência em uma região majoritariamente urbano-industrial; e (d) analisar possibilidades de desenvolvimento rural. Em parte, buscou-se referenciais teóricos que explicam a perenidade do rural em uma região urbana e industrial, calcados, sobretudo, em elementos como a localização das atividades econômicas e o papel do meio rural em um ambiente estilizado pelo meio urbano. Em uma segunda etapa, são analisados os resultados encontrados no meio rural do VS, tanto com os agricultores quanto junto às instituições que operam para o desenvolvimento rural da região. / The aim of this dissertation is to identify and analyze the factors which explain the continuity of the rural in the Sinos River Valley (VS) in an agricultural development standpoint. Thus, it aims to (a) characterize the VS region, emphasizing the primary sector of the economy; (b) survey the perception of agriculture in the region by interviewing institutional agents; (c) socially and economically characterize the region's agriculture and identify the reasons that justify its continuity in a urban-industrial region; (d) analyze possibilities of agricultural development. Initially, theoretical references that would explain the continuity of the rural in an urban and industrial region, based mainly on elements such as the localization of the economic activities and the role of the countryside in an environment labeled as urban, were tracked. Then, the results found for Sinos River Valley countryside were analyzed, both from the rural workers viewpoint as well as the region's development institutions.

Doctor of Philosophy / Environmental Design and Planning / Huston Gibson / Lee R. Skabelund / Urban agriculture and urban food-systems are locally productive landscapes and their supporting programs and networks. Urban agriculture is now valued and actively promoted by many urban communities. Having numerous community benefits, UA is often considered to have desirable neighborhood amenities and is assumed to have effects on nearby property prices. However, very little is known about the primary or secondary economic contribution of these productive landscapes to urban environments, particularly in regards to how urban agriculture relates to property values in a neighborhood. Because urban agriculture sites are often overpowered by increasing exchange-values of surrounding properties, the original values (economic and non-economic) to the neighborhood or community may be lost as urban agricultural sites are transformed by “higher return” development schemes. Since urban agriculture can disappear or fail without effective financing and adequate policy and planning support, it is imperative to the longevity of such programs to understand how important land-use and economic variables interrelate. This study examines the spatial-temporal magnitude and economic relationship between urban agriculture parcels and property values. The study uses the hedonic method employing the Spatial-Durbin modeling approach. Findings expand the theoretical and policy discourse on how investment of public resources aids neighborhood development through low exchange-value programs such as urban agriculture. In understanding the advantages of local food systems to urban form, context-specific neighborhood strategies developed in tandem with targeted community development and comprehensive plans can improve urban revitalization and (re)development within a larger resilient city planning framework. The key findings from the study illustrate that there is great value in understanding the most appropriate design approach and features of urban agriculture for different neighborhoods and market groups. Important design considerations include scale, design aesthetic, abundance and quality of urban agriculture sites within different market groups and neighborhoods.

abstract: City governments are increasingly incorporating urban and peri-urban agriculture into their policies and programs, a trend seen as advancing sustainability, development, and food security. Urban governance can provide new opportunities for farmers, but it also creates structures to control their activities, lands, and purposes. This study focused on Mexico City, which is celebrated for its agricultural traditions and policies. The study examined: 1) the functions of urban and peri-urban agriculture that the Government of Mexico City (GMC) manages and prioritizes; 2) how the GMC’s policies have framed farmers, and how that framing affects farmers’ identity and purpose; and 3) how the inclusion of agrarian activities and lands in the city’s climate-change adaptation plan has created opportunities and obstacles for farmers. Data was collected through participant observation of agricultural and conservation events, informal and semi-structured interviews with government and agrarian actors, and analysis of government documents and budgets. Analysis of policy documents revealed that the GMC manages agriculture as an instrument for achieving urban objectives largely unrelated to food: to conserve the city’s watershed and provide environmental services. Current policies negatively frame peri-urban agriculture as unproductive and a source of environmental contamination, but associate urban agriculture with positive outcomes for development and sustainability. Peri-urban farmers have resisted this framing, asserting that the GMC inadequately supports farmers’ watershed conservation efforts, and lacks understanding of and concern for farmers’ needs and interests. The city’s climate plan implicitly considers farmers to be private providers of public adaptation benefits, but the plan’s programs do not sufficiently address the socioeconomic changes responsible for agriculture’s decline, and therefore may undermine the government’s climate adaptation objectives. The findings illuminate the challenges for urban governance of agriculture. Farms do not become instruments for urban sustainability, development, and food security simply because the government creates policies for them. Urban governments will be more likely to achieve their goals for agriculture by being transparent about their objectives, honestly evaluating how well those objectives fit with farmers’ needs and interests, cultivating genuine partnerships with farmers, and appropriately compensating farmers for the public benefits they provide. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Sustainability 2017

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T18:57:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6676.pdf: 2910641 bytes, checksum: 429f708ea681f9c94b08e56cc8abc077 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-18 / Are there successful composting experiences of municipal solid waste (MSW)? Is it possible to have alternative solutions for urban organic waste different from the conventional model of centralized composting plants? Answering these questions was the main objective of this work. The state of São Paulo was the focus of the research. Methodology included a survey of primary and secondary data of centralized and decentralized composting experiences in São Paulo and semi-structured interviews with managers in face to face, telephone or e-mail contacts. Six modalities of composting and fifteen treatment routes of organic waste with source separation had been identified, as well as factors boosting and restricting the development of composting activities in the State. The results showed the diversity of alternatives for organic waste recovery in urban areas, pointed out gaps that benefit final disposal groups and revealed the lack of public support to the composting activities undertaken by several actors in the State. The study concludes that decentralizing activities, diversifying technological routes of composting and stimulating social, public and private entrepreneurs can accelerate the diversion of MSW from landfills and dumps. Such actions can also contribute to urban and rural agriculture and enable implementation of a rational culture of solid waste management. / Existem experiências bem sucedidas com compostagem de resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU)? É possível implantar soluções para os resíduos orgânicos urbanos, alternativas ao modelo convencional de usinas de triagem e compostagem? Responder a estas perguntas foi o principal objetivo deste trabalho. O estado de São Paulo foi o foco da pesquisa. A metodologia incluiu o levantamento de dados primários e secundários acerca de experiências paulistas de compostagem centralizada e descentralizada e entrevistas semiestruturadas com gestores, em contatos pessoais, telefônicos ou via correio eletrônico. Foram identificadas seis modalidades de compostagem e quinze rotas de tratamento de resíduos orgânicos com separação na fonte, além de fatores que impulsionam e que restringem o desenvolvimento de atividades de compostagem no estado. Os resultados desvelam a diversidade de alternativas para valorização de resíduos orgânicos em meio urbano, apontam brechas para a atuação de grupos que lucram com a disposição final e revelam a falta de apoio e incentivo público às atividades de compostagem empreendidas por diversos atores no estado. Conclui-se que a descentralização da atividade, a diversificação das rotas tecnológicas de compostagem e o estímulo aos empreendedores sociais, públicos e privados pode acelerar o desvio de RSU dos aterros sanitários e lixões, contribuir para a agricultura urbana e rural e permitir a implantação de uma cultura racional de gestão de resíduos sólidos.