Suchergebnisse

The main objective of this study is to contribute a framework and to provide an overview of potential key factors, policies, and barriers associated with the integration of rooftop urban agriculture (RUA), building on stakeholders' perspectives in four European cities (Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, and Paris). The research was developed in two phases, namely, a workshop and a survey of stakeholders involved in RUA from the four cities. Education, environmental, research, technological innovation, food production, and social factors play an important role in implementing RUA. Productive spaces, cultural values, social cohesion, social rural-urban links, and the high cost of urban land are highlighted as factors that "promote" RUA. In contrast, the cost of water and pollution are major contextual factors that constrain RUA. Policies related to food trade and urban planning are those that most limit RUA development. Major architectural and technical barriers related to the limits on building heights, historical buildings, a lack of specific building codes, building design and roof accessibility were identified. The high cost of infrastructure and policies that prohibit RUA product sales emerged as economic constraints. Major differences among the cities studied included the perceived effect of urban policies on RUA diffusion as well as the perceived relevance of economic and pollution factors. This study revealed that extensive dissemination and the development of appropriate information about RUA are needed. The creation of new regulations, as well as modifications to urban and building codes to support RUA, is also envisaged. This approach will consider a more flexible land-use policy that allows agriculture to take place in cities as well as marketing frameworks for RUA products. For future studies, it would be useful to apply the framework developed in this study to a larger sample. A study is also needed to confirm hypothetical differences between cities. ; Peer Reviewed ; Postprint (published version)

Today, food security has a critical place in the government agendas of developing countries. In Latin American case, urban contexts have been subject to radical transformations in the last decades, most apparently through the expansion of social housing, which may limit or condition access to food for the neediest population. Nowadays, in Latin America, there are numerous cases of urban agriculture. Quito (Ecuador) stands out for the development of urban agriculture through the Participatory Urban Agriculture Project - AGRUPAR; initiative that has led to the implementation of orchards with organic production, raising of small animals, food processing and marketing of surpluses for food-nutrition security. Above all, it has transcended its urban and peri-urban intervention to rural areas, favoring the urban-rural connection. Also, worldwide the urban agriculture is developed in different forms, one of which is through crops protected by a greenhouse on the roofs: Rooftop greenhouse (RTG). This form of UA uses specific substrates for hydroponic crops and has modern irrigation systems often combined with rainwater harvesting and provides a unique opportunity to improve urban agriculture in Quito. The purpose of this study is to identify the implementation potential of rooftop greenhouses in social neighborhoods in Quito. Standard methods to assess the potential use of rooftop greenhouses were adapted to a social neighborhood. The guidelines follow three steps: Step 1: Characterization based on criteria; Step 2: Available surface determination and Step 3: Production, self-sufficiency and self-supply. "La Comuna Santa Clara de San Millán" was selected as study area. The results showed that 33.2% (7.70¿ha) of the neighborhood rooftops had a short-term feasibility to install rooftop greenhouses, with the potential to produce 1,579,140 and 56,720¿kg/year of tomato and lettuce respectively. The research has developed reliable guidelines that prove the feasibility to install rooftop greenhouses in similar large Latin-American cities area. ; Peer Reviewed ; Postprint (published version)

This work established a framework to identify and analyze the technical feasibility of roofs for integrating urban agriculture, rainwater harvesting, and photovoltaic systems using various remote sensing. The framework was applied to a region north of Barcelona. Three levels of solar access requirements for tomatoes, leafy crops, strawberries, and microgreens were established. The case study included compact and disperse urban forms, residential and nonresidential building uses and various building typologies. It was identified that 8% of the roof area is feasible for tomato and lettuce production, and production could satisfy the 210% of average intake of tomatoes and the 21% average yearly consumption of lettuce. Rainwater harvesting systems could supply 94.26% of the water requirements for lettuce growing in an open-air system; in contrast, 53% of irrigation could be satisfied for tomato production in rooftop greenhouse systems. The results showed a potential for 80% of roof area to be used for rainwater harvesting systems, representing the average yearly water consumption of 44% of citizens for laundry, showering, toilet flushing, cleaning and irrigation uses. Finally, 50% of the roofs are suitable for photovoltaic panels, representing an average energy consumption of 18% of citizens. ; This work is part of the Fertilecity II project supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CTM2016-75772-C3-3-R and CTM2016-75772-C3-1-R, AEI/FEDER, UE); from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. This research has received financial support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 862663. The publication reflects the author's views. The Research Executive Agency (REA) is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. This work was supported by the "María de Maeztu" program for Units of Excellence in R&D (CEX2019-000940-M). Authors want to thank to Assumpció Termes and Fernando Pérez-Aragüés from the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya for their valuable support, to the Greenhouses to reduce CO2 on Roofs (GROOF) project, to the reviewers and editor for their observations, also to the Secretaria d'Universitats i Recerca del Departament d'Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya for the award of a research scholarship (FI-DGR 2018) to Joan Muñoz-Liesa and to the University of Guadalajara (Mexico) for awarding a research scholarship to Perla Zambrano-Prado. ; Peer Reviewed ; Postprint (published version)

Food security is at the heart of governmental agendas of developing countries. In Latin America, urban agriculture (UA) offers an interesting alternative to ensuring a sufficient, safe and nutritious food supply for urban populations. However, Latin American cities have been subject to radical transformations in the last decades, most apparently through the expansion of social housing. The main objective of this research is to analyze the social perceptions and feasibility of UA in Mexican social housing neighborhoods. The Mérida city was used as a representative case study. Structured interviews were given to 65 key stakeholders across different categories (residents, urban government officials and technical experts). The results indicate a nonexistent perception of UA in Mérida, despite the secular agricultural tradition of the Yucatan region. Nevertheless, respondents agreed in their interest in potentially developing UA activities to improve diets, increase green areas, support local economies, and reduce CO2 emissions. The main perceived barriers for UA are the prevalent model of housing, with a very limited floor area, and the current approach to urban planning, which lacks non-built-up areas. Significantly, large artificialized zones create suitable areas to implement UA on extended rooftops. Finally, stakeholders demand the intervention of authorities at different levels (Federal [national], State [regional] and local) as a requirement to develop UA properly. The main pathways for this support should be to prepare new urban and housing policies and introduce economic incentives. ; Peer Reviewed ; Postprint (author's final draft)