Peri-urban agriculture: Feeding us where the urban and rural meet
During 2022 the ‘Fringe Farming’ project will work with local authorities and farmers to implement regional action plans in five UK cities (Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, London, Sheffield)
By Vicki Hird
Resilience
Mar 23, 2022
Excerpt:
Not only could more peri-urban farming solve some of the issues of urban access to diverse fresh produce, but it could also provide new jobs, training, and goods and services. In a new report, ‘Fringe Farming’, Sustain, The Landworkers’ Alliance, Shared Assets and city partners have condensed a year’s work with growers and communities in cities into some key policy recommendations for national government and local authorities.
With the changes suggested, we could be driving increased production of, and demand for, sustainably and regionally produced, nutritious, culturally appropriate foods as part of a green economic recovery in the urban fringe. Such an approach would create so many additional social, economic and ecological benefits in peri-urban areas including:
The new report shows how the edges of towns and cities, with close access to markets and histories of market gardens, could generate new green jobs, goods and services with money going back into communities. These kinds of community wealth building initiatives could be key to driving a resilient new food economy.
