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Perception and acceptance of agricultural production in and on urban buildings (ZFarming): a qualitative study from Berlin, Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Kathrin Specht

    (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF))

  • Rosemarie Siebert

    (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF))

  • Susanne Thomaier

    (Technische Universität Berlin)

Abstract

Rooftop gardens, rooftop greenhouses and indoor farms (defined as ZFarming) have been established or planned by activists and private companies in Berlin. These projects promise to produce a range of goods that could have positive impacts on the urban setting but also carry a number of risks and uncertainties. In this early innovation phase, the relevant stakeholders’ perceptions and social acceptance of ZFarming represent important preconditions for success or failure of the further diffusion of this practice. We used the framework of acceptance to investigate the stakeholders’ attitudes and to identify the key factors that might hinder or promote the introduction of ZFarming. The results are based on an analysis of 38 qualitative interviews conducted with key stakeholders in Berlin. As the results show, major perceived benefits of ZFarming include improved consumer awareness, education, and the creation of experimental spaces. Stakeholders further perceive opportunities for resource savings, new business models, repurposing of abandoned buildings and improved aesthetics. Major perceived risks are associated with growing techniques that are considered “unnatural”, health risks (due to urban pollutants), conflicts with images of traditional agriculture, the rejection of animal production in urban areas, the risk of projects being too expensive and too complex or being implemented too early, i.e. before the mechanisms are fully understood. The analysis further reveals which contextual factors—political, legal, market-related, spatial or societal—might negatively or positively influence ZFarming acceptance.

Suggested Citation

  • Kathrin Specht & Rosemarie Siebert & Susanne Thomaier, 2016. "Perception and acceptance of agricultural production in and on urban buildings (ZFarming): a qualitative study from Berlin, Germany," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 33(4), pages 753-769, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:33:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1007_s10460-015-9658-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-015-9658-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    12. Kosorić, Vesna & Huang, Huajing & Tablada, Abel & Lau, Siu-Kit & Tan, Hugh T.W., 2019. "Survey on the social acceptance of the productive façade concept integrating photovoltaic and farming systems in high-rise public housing blocks in Singapore," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 197-214.
    13. Razia Sultana & Thomas Birtchnell & Nicholas Gill, 2022. "Grassroots Innovation for Urban Greening within a Governance Vacuum by Slum Dwellers in Dhaka," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-20, September.
    14. Jelena Živanović Miljković & Vesna Popović & Aleksandra Gajić, 2022. "Land Take Processes and Challenges for Urban Agriculture: A Spatial Analysis for Novi Sad, Serbia," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, May.
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    16. Garrett M. Broad & Wythe Marschall & Maya Ezzeddine, 2022. "Perceptions of high-tech controlled environment agriculture among local food consumers: using interviews to explore sense-making and connections to good food," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(1), pages 417-433, March.
    17. Kevin McDonnell & Levente Molnár & Mary Harty & Fionnuala Murphy, 2020. "Feasibility Study of Carbon Dioxide Plume Geothermal Systems in Germany−Utilising Carbon Dioxide for Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-24, May.
    18. Eun-Jung Choi & Doyun Lee & Sang-Min Lee, 2024. "Impact of Building Integrated Rooftop Greenhouse (BiRTG) on Heating and Cooling Energy Load: A Study Based on a Container with Rooftop Greenhouse," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, August.
    19. Drottberger, Annie & Zhang, Yizhi & Yong, Jean Wan Hong & Dubois, Marie-Claude, 2023. "Urban farming with rooftop greenhouses: A systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    20. Hyungkyoo Kim & Kyung Sun Lee & Jae Seung Lee & Saewon Lee, 2018. "Exploring Outdoor Solar Potential in High-Density Living: Analyzing Direct Sunlight Duration for Urban Agriculture in Seoul’s Residential Complexes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-15, August.
    21. Rebecka Milestad & Annika Carlsson-Kanyama & Christina Schaffer, 2020. "The Högdalen urban farm: a real case assessment of sustainability attributes," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(6), pages 1461-1475, December.
    22. Hemeng Zhou & Kathrin Specht & Caitlin K. Kirby, 2022. "Consumers’ and Stakeholders’ Acceptance of Indoor Agritecture in Shanghai (China)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-28, February.
    23. Mark Bomford, 2023. "More bytes per acre: do vertical farming’s land sparing promises stand on solid ground?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(3), pages 879-895, September.

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