Thesis: Urban Agriculture in Amsterdam

Understanding the recent trend in food production activities within the limits of a developed nation’s capital

By Peter de Lange
Master thesis in the program Environment and Resource Management
University Amsterdam
Aug. 21, 2011
69 pages

Abstract

Urban agriculture, the practice of growing food inside a city, can play a significant role in a cities food system, especially in feeding the urban poor. Its presence varies greatly across regions, however, and it is predominantly seen in Asia and Africa, where it is often practiced out of necessity, in order to feed families or gain much needed additional income.

Urban agriculture is not confined to developing countries, however, and, in recent years, is becoming increasingly popular in cities across the United States and Europe. One such city is Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, where especially community gardens have sprouted up in the last three years.

This trend cannot be expected to be driven by the same motives that drive urban agriculture elsewhere, as food is readily, and for most citizens affordably, available in supermarkets. As such, the current research was conducted to understand the current developments, and based on these findings give implications of what can be expected of food production in Amsterdam in the future.

In order to do this, interviews were conducted with urban farmers and allotment gardeners, policy documents were studied and literature on urban agriculture was read. This research revealed that the food production activities found in Amsterdam can be divided in six categories: allotment gardens, beekeeping, community gardens, restaurant gardens, school gardens and water gardens.

The interviews revealed that food production is often not the main purpose of the activity. Instead, improving social cohesion in a neighbourhood and educating others (children and adults) about growing food are the main motives for practicing urban agriculture. When growing food is the main aim, it is done with the intention to practice sustainable food production. In several cases, gardeners tried to adhere to the principles of permaculture in order to achieve this. Economic necessity was never mentioned as a motive. Quite to the contrary, several gardeners mentioned that buying vegetables in the supermarket is cheaper than growing them.

As a result of these motives, and maybe also because most urban farmers in Amsterdam have little experience with growing food, hardly any intensive production systems were found. Most food is simply grown in the soil, or in raised beds where the soil is too polluted, and methods to increase use of the vertical space, which are typical of urban agriculture elsewhere, were hardly encountered.

The municipality was found to be an active supporter of urban agriculture. Most initiatives had some form of help from either the central municipality or one of the city districts when starting up or with maintenance. The municipality does this mainly to stimulate citizen initiatives that improve local neighbourhoods, but also to promote local, sustainable, food production and to strengthen the ties between the city and its rural hinterlands.

The economic crisis played a role as well, as it creates space (particularly vacant lots) and causes people to reassess the sustainability of our current food production system.

All things considered, the recent trend appears to be the result of a combination of increased initiative from concerned citizens and a supportive municipality. Because food production in Amsterdam is economically unattractive, it cannot be expected to make a large contribution to the local food system unless economic circumstances change. It can, however, contribute to social cohesion in neighbourhoods and stimulate people to think about the food they eat, which might result in healthier, and perhaps even more sustainable, food consumption.

Read the complete paper here.