Working Group Meeting Barcelona 2013

The COST TD1106 meeting, about urban agriculture and peri urban agriculture has been held in Castelldefels (ESAB - Barcelona Tech) during 12 th - 15 th of March.

We have visited some places where the urban agriculture or fringe urban agriculture has an important role.

Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat

Horts Urbans de Torre Codina - Badalona

Vinyes AltaAlella - Alella

Gallecs - Mollet del Vallès

Jornada sobre Agricultura Urbana y Periurbana

El próximo 12 de marzo se llevará a cabo una Jornada sobre Agricultura Urbana y Periurbana en la Escuela Superior de Agricultura de Barcelona - Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (ESAB - UPC) - Campus del Baix Llobregat - Castelldefels.


Les adjunto el programa:

Esta sesión se enmarca dentro una reunión de trabajo del COST Action TD1106 Urban Agriculture Europe. 

Más información: 

COST Action Urban Agriculture Europe

Agriculture in an Urbanizing Society

La próxima semana estaré en la coferencia "Agriculture in an Urbanizing Society" que se va a llevar a cabo en Wageningen.

http://www.agricultureinanurbanizingsociety.com/UK/

Agricultura a la Revista de Badalona

La Revista de Badalona ha publicat un article sobre la recuperació de l'Agricultura a Badalona.

http://www.nautiluscomunicacio.com/2_0/nova-edicio-de-revista-de-badalona/

Green belt - Anella Verda

The green belt is a policy designed to protect the land near the cities, born in England during the 30’s.

The land use planning allows agricultural and farming activities, wild natural areas, leisure activities...

The green belt helps to achieve local food security, preserve the landscape, conserve biodiversity, protect the ecological integrity and provide recreation areas nearby urban centres.

There are green belts where the agriculture and farming activities are considered, while there are others where the agriculture is not promoted.

The yield that is produced on the green belts, is sold in the local farmer markets. Many areas have recovered local agricultural products, for instance in Frankfurt green belt are growing apples to produce apple wine (a kind of cider).

The green belts also provided open spaces for walk, for do sports (jogging, cycling, ride horse, etc) and enjoy with the natural values (forest, meadows, etc) .

The first green was established in London (UK) in 1938. The biggest is British Columbia Agricultural Land Reserve (CA) around 4.760.703 hectares.

In Germany has a green belt that followed the iron curtain (the border between Germany, Federal Republic and Germany Democratic Republic).

All the green belts have the same foes the urban expansion. The growths of cities collide with the preservation of open spaces, natural values (biodiversity) and agricultural activities. The land planning authorities have to work to find a balance between urban growth and the green belt protection.

More information:

http://www.londongreenbeltcouncil.org.uk/lgbc%20website/index.html

http://www.frankfurt-greencity.de/en/environment-frankfurt/frankfurt-the-green-city/frankfurts-greenbelt/

http://www.greenbelt.ca/

Urban fringe agriculture in the developing countries

While in Europe and the first world the peri-urban agriculture is used for more things that to produce food, keep the territory, soil, water, biodiversity and preserve the landscape in the developing countries the aim of urban fringe agriculture is nourishing people .

Which are the urban agriculture benefits?

The first benefit is the food production, the fresh vegetables and fruits are consumed by the farmer and his/her family and the excess are sold in the local market.

The second benefit is that urban people have more availability to consume fresh food, because this is produced near the cities (safety food).

The third benefit, the urban or urban fringe famers are poor people or excluded people (IADS/ VIH, ...) and they found their main source of income with the agriculture.

According with the FAO (1999) around 800 million of people around the world have income from urban or periurban agriculture.

http://www.fao.org/unfao/bodies/COAG/COAG15/X0076e.htm

There are countries like Namibia or Mexico for example that they have programs to promote the periurban agriculture:

Namibia

http://www.mawf.gov.na/Programmes/horticulture.html

Mexico

http://www.sagarpa.gob.mx/saladeprensa/boletines2/paginas/2011B145.aspx

Proposal of agricultural recovery in Betlem Valley (Badalona -Spain)

Betlem Valley is a valley located in la Serralada de Marina (Municipality of Badalona), which was cultivated until the 70’s of the XX century. The valley became a doubtful land with expectations, where was carrying out unauthorized activities and uses.

Currently the studied area is a recreational area for citizens of Badalona and Santa Coloma de Gramenet, attracted by the open spaces and the presence of Sant Jeroni Monestry.

This work is a proposal for the agricultural recovery in the valley, trying to reconcile farming with the others values of the zone (natural, cultural and social). The scenario I expects to recover 61,9933 ha., while the scenario II expects to recover 48,0420 ha.

In the cost-benefits analysis of proposals were considered or not the opportunity cost under the private point of view. If we consider the oppurtunity cost, the grapes selling price must be from 812,00 €/ kg for the scenario I and 1.047,5 €/ kg for the scenario II, to obtain benefits. With out considering the opportunity the price of the grapes must be from 0,59 €/ kg (scenario I) and 0,62 €/ kg (scenario II).

The agriculture recovery could be compatible with the Metropolitan Territorial Plan but hardly with other urbans planning in the zone.

The scenario II is the most compatible with the zone values.