Edible City—A New Approach for Upscaling Local Food Supply? The Case of Andernach, Germany
Artmann M., Sartison K.
Making Green Cities: Concepts, Challenges and Practice (Springer, Cities and Nature series), 173-194
Urban Farm DB summary
A case study analyzing the 'Edible City' of Andernach, Germany, as a multifunctional productive green space where citizens can harvest freely in public areas. Drawing on interviews with key initiators, it shows that the project generates multifunctional social, ecological and economic benefits addressing urban challenges such as food security, biodiversity and social cohesion, and examines its potential for upscaling local food supply.
Key points
- 1The 'Edible City' of Andernach functions as a multifunctional productive green space.
- 2Citizens are permitted to freely harvest food from public areas within the initiative.
- 3The project yields diverse social, ecological, and economic benefits.
- 4It effectively addresses urban challenges such as food security, biodiversity, and social cohesion.
- 5The study explores the initiative's potential for upscaling local food supply in urban contexts.
Abstract and stored text
AI-generated summaryThis case study investigates the 'Edible City' initiative in Andernach, Germany, analyzing it as a multifunctional productive green space where citizens can freely harvest food in public areas. Through interviews with key initiators, the research identifies the diverse social, ecological, and economic benefits generated by the project. These benefits address critical urban challenges such as enhancing food security, promoting biodiversity, and strengthening social cohesion. The study explores how such initiatives contribute to local food supply and considers their potential for upscaling to broader urban contexts.
This is an AI synthesis from the stored record, not the original abstract. Check the original before quoting.
Why it matters for urban farming
This paper is highly relevant for urban farmers as it showcases a successful model where public spaces are transformed into productive green areas accessible to all citizens for food harvesting. It demonstrates that citizen-driven initiatives can generate significant social cohesion, enhance local biodiversity, and contribute to food security, moving beyond individual plots to a city-wide scale. For those looking to start or expand urban farming projects, it offers inspiration and a blueprint for integrating food production into the urban fabric, fostering community engagement and exploring the potential for upscaling local food systems.