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Growing for Sydney: Exploring the Urban Food System through Farmers’ Social Networks

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  • Jessica Ann Diehl

    (School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117566, Singapore)

Abstract

Growing urban populations’ increased demand for food coupled with the inherent risks of relying on the global food system has spurred planning strategies by city governments for implementing urban agriculture at different scales. Urban agriculture manifests in a variety of different forms, often with different functions. However, within each type, embeddedness in the socio-ecological urban system can vary substantially as a result of specific characteristics and actors involved. This has a profound impact on the feasibility and sustainability of individual farm practices and, consequently, when scaled up to the urban food system as a whole. In this paper, I apply the concept of social networks to understand how commercial urban farmers gain access to and make use of tangible and intangible resources available to them in the context of the urban food system. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 farmers in Sydney, Australia. The question guide, developed based on the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, captured farm traits and access to resources through social networks. Findings illustrate three emergent patterns leveraging urban-local, rural-local, and urban-global networks as farmers pursued sustainable livelihoods. In conclusion, land is only one driver, among many, of the sustainability of the local food system.

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica Ann Diehl, 2020. "Growing for Sydney: Exploring the Urban Food System through Farmers’ Social Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:8:p:3346-:d:348118
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Parizeau, Kate, 2015. "When Assets are Vulnerabilities: An Assessment of Informal Recyclers’ Livelihood Strategies in Buenos Aires, Argentina," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 161-173.
    2. Giaime Berti & Catherine Mulligan, 2016. "Competitiveness of Small Farms and Innovative Food Supply Chains: The Role of Food Hubs in Creating Sustainable Regional and Local Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-31, July.
    3. Erik Bryld, 2003. "Potentials, problems, and policy implications for urban agriculture in developing countries," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 20(1), pages 79-86, March.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Martina Artmann & Kathrin Specht & Jan Vávra & Marius Rommel, 2021. "Introduction to the Special Issue “A Systemic Perspective on Urban Food Supply: Assessing Different Types of Urban Agriculture”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-11, March.
    4. Juan E. Núñez-Ríos & Norman Aguilar-Gallegos & Jacqueline Y. Sánchez-García & Pedro Pablo Cardoso-Castro, 2020. "Systemic Design for Food Self-Sufficiency in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-25, September.
    5. Sroka, Wojciech & Bojarszczuk, Jolanta & Satoła, Łukasz & Szczepańska, Barbara & Sulewski, Piotr & Lisek, Sławomir & Luty, Lidia & Zioło, Monika, 2021. "Understanding residents’ acceptance of professional urban and peri-urban farming: A socio-economic study in Polish metropolitan areas," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
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