In North America, industrial agriculture has led to cheap abundant food while separating direct links between the city and countryside. This thesis attempts to use architecture to reconnect people in Manhattan, New York City, with food production and serve as a model for sustainability. The thesis analyzes Manhattan’s food network, and seeks a site which has the potential for several factors: site accessibility, renewable resources, solar exposure, and integration into the community. These factors serve as the basis in which to build a hybrid prototype that is able to expose people to the process of food production through a combination of traditional outdoor farming methods and indoor hydroponics in the form of a vertical farm. Farmers and customers can be seen together as one entity instead of two disconnected dependencies. The reintegration of food production into the city can be seen as a re-alliance of the country and the city.

Storstaden är idag människans kanske mest naturliga miljö. Det är där de flesta av oss bor, lever och konsumerar en stor mängd mat.  I det här projektet har jag använt mig av mat som ett redskap i min designprocess och skapat en fiskodling mitt på Skeppsbron. Jag har undersökt hur en fiskmarknad i Gamla stan skulle kunna utnyttja de befintliga resurserna på platsen och ritat en miljö där människan lever i symbios med naturen. En flexibel arkitektur som är formad utefter landskapets unika struktur och som förändras parallellt med det växlande vattenrummet.  Stockholms karaktäristiska vatten kopplar ihop staden med Östersjön i öst och långt i landet i väst. För att utnyttja platsens fulla potential har marknaden ett antal flyttbara element som kan transporteras med båt mellan olika kajplatser. Dessa element består av olika typer av fiskodlingspooler som renas med hjälp av akvaponi (odling) och byggnadens biogasanläggning. Detta genererar i sin tur energi som värmer upp poolerna och förser byggnaden med elektricitet.  Tillsammans utgör dessa element ett unikt landskap där människan kommer i kontakt med vattnet, djurlivet och naturligtvis maten. / Investigating the the Urban Fishfarm Today, the city might be our most natural environment. This is where most of us live and consume a large amount of food. In this project, I have used food as a designtool and created a fish farm in the middle of Stockholm City. I have examined how a fish market in the old town could use the existing resources on site and designed an environment where people could live in symbiosis with nature. A flexible architecture that could grow och change in time. Stockholm water connects the city with the Baltic Sea in the east, and far into the country in the west. In order to utilize the site's full potential, the market has a number of movable elements that can be transported by sea between different quays. These elements consist of a number of fish farming pools which are purified by akvaponi (farming).

Increasing urbanization is often accompanied by problematic changes in watershed hydrology. Decreasing surface permeability can lead to increased overland flow volumes, which may spread surficial contaminants and increase the strain on municipal stormwater infrastructure. This study examines a mixed-use property in the Proctor Creek watershed in Atlanta, Georgia, to better understand how land-management practices influence soil overland flow potential. Field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) measurements were collected from soils 1) subjected to compaction, 2) in urban agricultural use, and 3) under common lawn maintenance. Mean values were 9.1E-7 cm/s, 2.2E-4 cm/s, and 9.0E-6 cm/s respectively. Measurements were collected in-situ with the use of the Aardvark constant-head permeameter. Statistical analyses indicated a substantial difference in Kfs based on land-management practices and that urban farming can increase soil Kfs and limit overland flow. Additional analysis revealed no significant difference in grain-size distributions suggesting land-management practices controlled Kfs, not soil texture.

This professional report addresses 1) where urban agriculture is developing in cities and why; 2) the primary constraints affecting the development of long-term commercial urban farm operations within the boundaries of large metropolitan cities; and 3) how cities are planning and creating policies for commercial urban agriculture under different environmental, economic, and land-use constraints. Using case studies from Austin, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana, I address these questions through a qualitative analysis of current efforts to reform land use policies for urban farming, existing literature, and interviews with practitioners, farmers, policy makers, and planners. The history and context of each case study is addressed, honing in on specific environmental, social, regulatory, economic, and land use barriers to commercial urban farming. / text

According to Michael Pollan's article in Mother Jones Magazine, "The typical fruit or vegetable on an American's plate travels some 1,500 miles to get there, and is frequently better traveled and more worldly than its eater" (Pollan 38). The majority of citizens living in or near metropolitan centers rarely come in contact with produce pre-barcode; that is, produce still connected to the earth or not yet processed for mass distribution and consumption. This is especially the case in urban settings where land is at a premium and is valued more for residential and commercial purposes than for food production. In the case of U.S. cities, though we produce sufficiently to feed our population, the majority of produce consumed is grown outside of state lines if not entirely outside of the country. "In 2004, the U.S. exported nearly $20 million worth of lettuce - over 3/4 of it grown in California - to Mexico. The same year, it imported $20 million worth of Mexican lettuce" (Pollan 43). It is far more likely that urbanites seek references from their car mechanics and tailors than from producers of the food they consume. Locally grown and consumed food has several quality-of-life enhancing attributes, most importantly providing fresher, more nutritious produce with a known history, increased self-sufficiency with respect to food, and reduced environmental impact caused by reduced inter and intra-national transportation.

abstract: Consumers can purchase local food through intermediated marketing channels, such as grocery stores, or through direct-to-consumer marketing channels, for instance, farmers markets. While the number of farms that utilize direct-to-consumer outlets keeps increasing, the direct-to-consumer sales remain lower than intermediated sales. If consumers prefer to purchase local food through intermediated channels, then policies designed to support direct channels may be misguided. Using a variety of experiments, this dissertation investigates consumer preferences for local food and their demand differentiated by marketing channel. In the first essay, I examine the existing literature on consumer preferences for local food by applying meta-regression analysis to a set of eligible research papers. My analysis provides evidence of statistically significant willingness to pay for local food products. Moreover, I find that a methodological approach and study-specific characteristics have a significant influence on the reported estimates for local attribute. By separating the demand for local from the demand for a particular channel, the second essay attempts to disentangle consumers’ preferences for marketing channels and the local-attribute in their food purchases. Using an online choice experiment, I find that consumers are willing to pay a premium for local food. However, they are not willing to pay premiums for local food that is sold at farmers markets relative to supermarkets. Therefore, in the third essay I seek to explain the rise in intermediated local by investigating local food shopping behavior. I develop a model of channel-selection in a nested context and apply it to the primary data gathered through an online food diary. I find that, while some consumers enjoy shopping at farmers markets to meet their objectives, such as socialization with farmers, the majority of consumers buy local food from supermarkets because they offer convenient settings where a variety of products can be bought as one basket. My overall results suggest that, if the goal is to increase the sales of local food, regardless of the channel, then existing supply-chain relationships in the local food channel appear to be performing well. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Agribusiness 2018

This study examines models of community gardens and urban farms and determined a successful hybrid model for future implementation at the Huerta del Valle Community Garden. This was accomplished through analyzing the unique benefits and drawbacks of community gardens and urban farms as defined by the author, and then determining the components of each model that would maximize Huerta del Valle’s social and economic potential. Community gardens are defined in this thesis as places where community members can grow their own food in individual plots, and these spaces often contribute to community building, hands-on gardening education, and improved food access. Urban farms are defined as business models that produce food to sell to the community both to support the business and to improve community food access. Through research of existing community garden, urban farm, and hybrid models, the author determined that the most effective hybrid model includes intensive crop production, crop sales onsite as well as in farmers’ markets and delivery methods, a large community garden, and education programs for the community. The author then offered Huerta del Valle a potential model that includes these components as well as a store front, cooking lessons, value-added products, a Community Supported Agriculture program, and specific themed gardening classes. This complete model will potentially increase Huerta del Valle’s scope so it is able to improve healthy food access throughout Ontario while creating an enduring economic model.

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Sustainable sanitation and wastewater management are of increasing importance around the world while certain resources are becoming scarcer and therefore more valuable. The lack of proper wastewater management causes problems and the degradation of some resources. Increasing urbanization in peri-urban areas puts extra stress on the need for finding and implementing sustainable solutions to prevent ground- and surface water contamination. The study aimed to design a more sustainable wastewater management at the farm Ceasip located in the peri-urban area of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Due to the lack of proper wastewater management on the farm, Ceasip was a likely contributor to the contamination of the groundwater. Of the farm’s different wastewater sources, this study focused on the domestic wastewater and its possible reuse in agriculture. The prioritized sustainability criteria were to prevent groundwater contamination, reduce water usage and recycle nutrients. First various wastewater management options were identified. Next these were evaluated according to the different sustainability criteria previously mentioned. In order to determine a management option, data and information were collected and processed regarding water flows, water quality, physical conditions as well as sustainability criteria within environment, technology, socio-culture, health and economy. Results of the present conditions for Ceasip showed various characteristics, like small water flows, high nitrogen and fecal coliform concentration and clayey soils, from which suitability of different treatments was determined. Urine separation was deemed appropriate for Ceasip to increase the recycling of nutrients as well as reduce the nitrogen levels in wastewater. Treatment ponds and leach fields were designed as two wastewater treatment alternatives. For Ceasip to implement and manage water and wastewater sustainably through one of the mentioned alternatives could have a positive impact for the farm and environment, as well as serve as an example to employees, visitors and other establishments. / El saneamiento y gestión sostenible de las aguas residuales es de creciente importancia en los tiempos modernos. Los recursos naturales son cada vez más escasos y valiosos. Mas aún, la falta del manejo adecuado de aguas residuales es causa importante de la degradación de los recursos restantes. La creciente urbanización en las zonas periurbanas acentúa la necesidad de encontrar e implementar soluciones sostenibles en el manejo de aguas residuales. En estas zonas dicho manejo (colección y tratamiento de aguas residuales) es deficiente. Como consecuencia se percibe una contaminación continua de las aguas subterráneas en estas condiciones. El objetivo del estudio realizado fue diseñar un sistema de gestión de aguas residuales más sostenible para la granja Ceasip ubicada en la zona periurbana de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. El estudio se enfoca principalmente en el manejo de las aguas residuales domésticas y su posible reutilización en la agricultura. Sin embargo, cabe mencionar que las aguas residuales en la granja Ceasip provienen también de otras actividades. Para el concepto de sostenibilidad de este proyecto, son prioritarios los criterios de prevención de la contaminación del agua subterránea, la reducción del consumo de agua y el reciclaje de nutrientes. La metodología de estudio consistió en varias etapas. Después de una extensa revisión de la literatura existente diferentes opciones de gestión fueron evaluadas de acuerdo con los criterios de sostenibilidad antes mencionados. Para hacer una elección de un tratamiento adecuado, se realizaron compilaciones y procesamiento de datos con respecto a los flujos y la calidad de aguas, las condiciones geomorfológicas, climáticas así como la evaluación de algunos parámetros ambientales, sociales, técnicos, económicos, y de salubridad. En las condiciones actuales, los resultados de las evaluaciones de la granja, resaltaron aspectos críticos sobre los que se propusieron algunos tratamientos alternativos; por ejemplo el aumento en el reciclaje de nutrientes así como la reducción de los niveles de nitrógeno en las aguas residuales. La separación de la orina se consideró de gran importancia para la gestión apropiada de las aguas residuales de Ceasip. Al final se sugirieron dos posibles alternativas para el diseño del tratamiento de aguas, la utilización de lagunas o de lechos filtrantes con arena, cuya contribuiría positivamente tanto como para el entorno local y el personal de la granja así como para la comunidad en general, sirviendo como ejemplo para otros establecimientos. / Hållbar sanitet och avloppsvattenhantering är av ökande vikt runt om i världen. Resurser blir allt knappare och mer värdefulla medan bristen på hållbar hantering även skapar problem och degradering av återstående resurser. På grund av den ökande urbaniseringen är grundvattnet i städernas periferier speciellt utsatt eftersom avloppsvattenhantering saknas där. Syftet med denna studie är att designa en mer hållbar avloppsvattenhantering för gården Ceasip i peri-urbana Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. I nuläget saknas en lämplig lösning på gården. Av de olika typerna av avloppsvatten på gården, fokuserar denna studie främst på avloppsvattnet från hushåll och möjligheterna att återanvända det inom jordbruket. För hållbarhetskonceptet i uppsatsen, prioriteras följande kriterier: skydd av grundvattnet, minskning av grundvattenkonsumtion och näringsåtervinning. En litteraturstudie gjordes över olika avloppsvattenhanteringsalternativ som sedan utvärderades enligt hållbarhetskriterierna. För att bestämma det mest lämpliga hanteringsalternativet, samlades data och information om vattenflöden, vattenkvalitéer, klimat, geomorfologi och även för miljö, teknik, hälsa, ekonomi och kultur. Resultaten från sammanställningen visade på olika egenskaper från vilka lämplig hantering bestämdes. För att öka återvinningen av näringsämnen och minska kvävekoncentrationerna i avloppsvattnet, visade det sig vara lämpligt att använda urinsortering. Två behandlingsalternativ designades, och det föreslogs antingen behandlingsdammar eller förstärkta infiltrationsanläggningar. Då någon av dessa alternativ tillämpas på Ceasip skulle man även kunna påverka lokalt och regionalt genom att sätta ett bra exempel.