Re semantizing Sustainability through Creative Agricultural Practices in the Urban Milieu

Resumo

In the course of the last half century, the most vital of all human activities, food production, has become a highly de-humanized and mechanized process, carried on away from the everyday experience of most people, in degraded natural environments and often-unhealthy work conditions. This major transformation, which has been termed ‘the modern agricultural dilemma’ (Wright, 2005), has produced a profound alienation of the majority of the world’s population, especially in urban areas, from the natural world as a place where to search for both material and spiritual nourishment. At the same time, however, many people around the world, in the most diverse contexts, have started to challenge this alienation by engaging in the highly creative and socially innovative activity of urban (and periurban) farming. After briefly delineating key aspects of the current agricultural crisis, the article offers an overview of contemporary experiences in small-scale sustainable agriculture and a tentative picture of the variety of forms, spaces, and social actors involved. Viewing urban farming as a form of ‘popular art/craft’, two main avenues are explored – the rise of agricultural gardens in urban areas and the neo-rural transition movement – with some reflections on the rise of urban farming in the urban imaginary and the frequent involvement of artists and designers in urban gardening initiatives. The article closes with critical observations on the state of research on urban agricultural practices.