CitAgra: The Compact City with Integrated Agriculture and Ecology

Abstract

The growing problem of urban sprawl – low-density, fragmented, car-dependent development on greenfields – is increasingly serious for both Europe and the rest of the world. It brings with it a number of negative consequences for human health, well-being, social and economic performance, and negative ecological impacts, including emissions, which contribute to climate change. Therefore, in order to improve urban quality of life and address the “20-20-20 strategy” of global objectives, we propose a series of pilot projects that introduce significant planning, managerial and technology initiatives combined to enhance cooperation between European citizens and experts. To increase the extent and health of urban cultivation and maximize the benefits of an urban canopy, cities need an integrated approach and innovations from city planners, engineers, and landscape architects, as well as citizen advocacy and participation along the lines of public-private partnerships. We presume that even if various actors share a common vision, it needs more knowledge for maximum benefits to develop. Our thesis is that urban cultivation can play a significant role as a catalyst for socio-economic sustainability. Comparing benefits from urban forest and agrarian functions, which in many places would compete for the same space, would be necessary. There is now an increasing body of knowledge that several measures of high urban density – including residential, retail, and service density, street-intersection density, and land-use diversity – might have important public health consequences. With more evidence, one can plan neighbourhoods that are more compact and more attractive (thanks to activity-influencing factors such as local services, public transport, leisure, agrarian activities and more), halt invasive sprawl, promote physical activity and social interaction, and shield from environmental and social negatives, such as pollution and feeling unsafe. In this project, the Nature-Based Solutions concept will be applied to improve the impact on quality of life. In this sense, CitAgra would leverage the EU agenda by making the project a form of pilot implementation.