Gaps, Barriers and Opportunities for Urban Agriculture in Los Angeles
“Rooted Horizons: Growing Food by and for Angelenos” identifies infrastructural, bureaucratic and operational challenges facing urban farmers and suggests recommendations to advance urban agriculture in LA County
Larta Institute
Los Angeles Food Policy Council
Aug 2023
Excerpt:
Advocating for community engagement to foster direct connections between residents and their food, facilitated by small farms within residential spaces throughout the county.
Calling for the creation of methods and infrastructure to aggregate and scale products from small urban farms, offering both economic and social benefits.
Exploring the creation of hyperlocal food hubs that provide urban agricultural entrepreneurs and communities with technical assistance, marketplaces and access to private and public funding.
Advocating for closer integration of well-established food assistance programs like CalFresh into a comprehensive urban agriculture program.
“Urban agriculture will play a significant role in paving the way for food sovereignty in Los Angeles. At the same time, urban farming is also a potent instrument in mitigating the effects of climate change,” said Alba Velasquez, executive director of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council. “The methods we employ to cultivate, manufacture and circulate food have a direct influence on the nearby ecosystem. By endorsing local farmers, we not only enhance the availability of locally grown, nutritious food choices, but also play an active role in bolstering the micro-economy, thereby promoting it as a sustainable business model.”
“Rooted Horizons” was funded by a grant to Larta Institute from the California Community Foundation (CCF) and builds upon the substantial efforts over the past two years of the Los Angeles Food Equity Roundtable, an innovative cross-sectional partnership that focuses on addressing disparities within the local food system and advocates for integrated food distribution and development strategies across Los Angeles County. The Roundtable is supported by the Annenberg Foundation, CCF, and the Weingart Foundation, and is co-chaired by Los Angeles County.
