Urban agriculture is the process of growing, producing and recycling food scraps in the urban environment. This might include backyard vegetable gardens, laneway gardens, planter boxes or larger scale urban community food growing. It can also include local processing and preserving of food and the composting of food waste.
Why is it important? Urban agriculture is important because it helps promote sustainable local food systems and build community resilience. Sustainable local food systems improve the management of the food cycle from production through processing, distribution, access, consumption and resource and waste recovery. Whether it be growing a few herbs on a balcony, a roof top farm, developing a market garden or contributing to a thriving community growing space, urban agriculture is becoming increasingly popular. On a systems level, urban agriculture adds to the multifunctionality of the urban fabric, by facilitating a wide range of benefits to urban communities, including recreational social and cultural benefits as well as environmental (urban greening, climate regulation, biodiversity, nutrient recycling).
What does it mean in Yarra? Sustainable food systems and urban agriculture are key to maintaining and improving sustainability. The work of the previous four years has proven that genuine food production, food waste recycling and sustainable local food systems are possible and desirable in Yarra. The City of Yarra is, and will continue to, experience high levels of population growth and more residents living in apartments. More than ever our community is at risk of being disconnected from the social reality and ecology of our food system, therefore urban agriculture and its ability to reconnect people with food sources will play an increasingly significant role in creating a sustainable city. The population density of Yarra makes broad acre farming impractical but does provide other opportunities such as growing food in public places, growing on private land, roof tops, local food swaps, food waste collections, and municipal composting. These can all help to build the profile of urban food growing; reduce food waste and increase community skills and experience. Small actions, undertaken by a large population, can have cumulative benefits such as growing your own herbs rather than buying them wrapped in plastic.
