*3.2. Case 2: Lufa Farms in Montreal: Urban Agriculture and Socio-Technical Innovation*

Lufa Farms is located in a territorial setting that is the polar opposite of the one that supports Le Grenier boréal. However, in relation to climate change and food autonomy, the two projects share certain objectives and techniques. Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec and the second largest in Canada in terms of population and economic importance. It is at the center of a metropolitan community of 4374 km2 that includes more than four million inhabitants according to the 2016 census. As such, the agglomeration of Montreal had a population of 2,050,053, according to City of Montréal estimates in 2019 (The urban agglomeration of Montreal includes the City of Montréal and 15 autonomous cities located on the island of Montreal. The Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal includes the City of Montréal and 81 autonomous cities. For information on the City of Montréal, http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?\_pageid=6897,67633583& \_dad=portal&\_schema=PORTAL 30 September 2021. For information on the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, see https://cmm.qc.ca/ accessed on 25 September 2021). Montreal is one of North America's major metropolises serving as an industrial and service hub and offering high-level services. However, as with most large centers in our hyperglobalized and hyper-industrialized world [46,47], this city is fraught with social divides that separate the wealthy from the poor. Neighborhoods that are more affected by poverty are challenged with various forms of precariousness and socioeconomic vulnerability [48], including food insecurity [49,50].

As a result, several types of initiatives to fight for food security are emerging. These initiatives are divided into four sectors: production, processing, distribution and consumption. In terms of production, the most important activity is urban agriculture. It goes without saying that urban agriculture alone will never be able to feed the entire population of a city such as Montreal. Nevertheless, it remains a field of experimentation for complementary solutions to food problems in an environmental and social perspective [51]. Urban agriculture is spread over several sectors and is practiced in various types of areas at multiple scales.

Urban agriculture is on the rise all over the world. It has been practiced for a long time in the so-called countries of the South, where urban populations are more likely to have some of their needs met through food self-provisioning, often driven by poverty. On the other hand, in the cities of so-called developed countries, agricultural production in urban areas for the purpose of mitigating food insecurity is more recent. Historically, it was practiced for recreational, social or therapeutic purposes or was reserved for specific uses (e.g., vines, for homemade wine, in Montreal). Thus, in general, the food system, including food distribution, was expected to satisfy the needs of urban residents. Yet, the food system can no longer meet these demands. This is due to several factors including the deterioration of food quality [52] and the new aspirations of residents regarding the link between ecology, social justice and food production. In that context, for a low-income population with difficulties in obtaining adequate food supplies, urban agriculture can facilitate access to certain foods [53,54]. In addition, urban agriculture can contribute to residents' overall level of health [55] and education [54]. Finally, urban agriculture contributes to strengthening social ties [55,56]. Today, as environmental problems intensify, urban agriculture is increasingly called into play as a means to promote sustainable development [53,54,57]. It is part of the repertoire of collective actions oriented toward the co-construction of a "sustainable city" [58]. It is this aspect that we will address with the help of the Lufa Farms case.
