Planning for Community-Based Urban Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

the experiences and practices of community-based urban agriculture (CBUA) are increasingly central in the current debate on food system transition. The local agri-food systems (LAFS) are a set of bottom-up practices for the transition from an overall globalized and competitive food system to an alternative and more resilient, place-based and fairer food provision model. CBUA is of pivotal relevance to the ecological transition and entails practices linking food provision with an increased and empowered role of local society and citizens coalitions—encompassing either private and public parties—responsible for in-place stewardship, access to resources and the promotion of fair regulations in the use of commons. Although promoted in a urban and peri-urban context, CBSA initiatives are suitable to contribute to a wider reframing of the governance and planning of cities and territories at the (bio)region and foodshed level. This calls for the development of innovative concepts and tools—either in analysis, design and planning for local development—which are suitable to assist in integrating and upscaling CBUA into wider LAFS according principles of self-reliance. This Special issue of Land aims to promote reflections and contributions to shed light on how CBUA practices are able to question the current socio-economic and spatial governance systems, fostering place awareness and mutuality in local social relationships. Both conceptual and casestudy research papers are welcome, and should focus on the following topics:

• CBUA and related social innovations as a pivotal component of innovative civic welfare systems and of resilient and place based urban economy, both in developed and in developing countries;
• CBUA as a part of an innovative agro-ecological approach in urban planning suitable to offset, urban, rural and ecological needs based on inhabitants willingness and initiative;
• CBUA as a social innovation fostering citizens and proactive groups’ place-awareness and stewardship;
• Social return on investment analysis of CBUA experiences;
• New policy measures and methods to scale-up CBUAs at the city and urban-bioregion level;
• Political economy of CBUA development and upscale at the urban system governance level.

Dr. Benedetto Rocchi
Dr. David Fanfani
Dr. Gino Sturla
Guest Editors

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