Community farming
When people in a community who are interested in protecting agricultural land and eating healthy, natural food get together to support farms in their neighbourhoods, their collaboration is called community farming or community-supported agriculture. The farmers are responsible for producing the crops or raising the livestock and may gain access to land — or more land — for farming. Some community members offer advice on sustainable farming practices, some provide labour and some pay upfront for regular supplies of fresh, healthy food. The farmers and producers work as a partnership, sharing both the risks and benefits.
Community agriculture can improve both diets and food security. The food costs less because it is coming directly from community gardens.
A community agriculture project can be designed to reflect local culture and local needs. For example, in the Utah Conservation Corps Urban Community Farm (UCC UCF) in the United States of America, farmers and volunteer labourers learn how to maintain efficient and productive small-scale agricultural systems. The community members have access to fresh food, which contributes to their food security, and food may also be donated to members of the local community who are food-insecure. (See Hanson et al., n.d., for more information.)
Reading
Hanson, B. McCann, R. B., & Damitz, S. Community Agriculture: Concepts Models and Impacts. Utah State University Department of Environment and Society and Utah Conservation Corps. https://extension.usu.edu/sustainability/research/community-agriculture-concepts-models-impacts
Licence: copyright Utah State University, 2010
Activity
- Think about whether any type of community farming could succeed in your local community.
- How easy or how difficult do you think it would be to convince your family or neighbours to take part in community farming?
