URBAN AGRICULTURE AS A PLANNING TOOL FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Diminishing population process causes new spatial changes in the urbanenvironment. Local authorities of depopulated settlements are facing the challengeof managing the existing urban infrastructure with decreasing consumers and taxincomes. The question is raised about how to ensure high quality of life of theremaining residents. According to the United Nations (UN, 2015), Bulgaria willlose 27.9 % of its population until 2050, as a comparison Japanese population willdecline by 15.1%. The projections lead towards specific changes in urban planningpractices and shift the focus from city development to city shrinkage. Hence, theimplementation of urban agriculture as a tool for creating viable cities andsustainable local communities could be expected to ensure food security, socialinclusion and employment. The study aim is to propose responses to shrinkingphenomena and to discuss benefits of urban agriculture development for bindinglocal communities. In order to achieve this aim, three objectives are set: (i) toidentify research and practical experience in the field of urban agriculture in Japan;(ii) to analyse the Japanese local authorities approach in facing declining and agingpopulation consequences; and (iii) to discuss its transferability to Bulgarianplanning practice. Started in 2010 in Kashiwa city, Japan, Kashiniwa program isinnovative local governance system for tackling vacant lots in shrinking cities. Thecase study method was chosen for researching the planning approaches developedand implemented in Japan, such as urban agricultural planning method forestablishing and maintaining green open spaces and building sustainable localcommunity.