University at Buffalo researchers awarded $1 million grant to advance urban agriculture
The research team is studying the role of social networks and social capital in urban food systems.
University of Buffalo
Public Health, Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning,
Nov 18, 2020
Excerpt:
“Recent experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic have illustrated the need for well-functioning urban food systems, which are supported by this grant. Design of such systems ought to be informed by experiences of community networks,” said Samina Raja, PhD, principal investigator on the project.
“We are excited to co-produce this research with our community leaders to grow urban agriculture policy from the ground up,” added Raja, professor of urban and regional planning in UB’s School of Architecture and Planning and director of the school’s Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab.
Improved policy awareness helps urban growers better access land, water and resources. Ultimately, urban food systems and grower-policymaker networks lead to healthier, vibrant urban communities.
The interdisciplinary team of researchers includes UB’s Martha Bohm, associate professor of architecture, and Emmanuel Frimpong Boamah, PhD, an assistant professor who holds a joint faculty appointment in the School of Architecture and Planning and the Community for Global Health Equity.
Additional investigators include Fernando Burga of the University of Minnesota and Yeeli Mui of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Community-focused work in Buffalo is led by Allison DeHonney of Urban Fruits and Veggies, Diane Picard of Massachusetts Avenue Project, and Rebekah Williams of Buffalo Food Equity Network. Darryl Lindsey of Appetite For Change leads the community-focused work in Minneapolis.
