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Accepted Paper:
Towards sustainable and inclusive urban agriculture in Kerala (India): Present policy landscape and way forward
Anita Pinheiro
(Ashoka University)
Modho Govind
(Jawaharlal Nehru University,)
Paper short abstract:
Kerala, a South Indian state has taken crucial steps to promote urban agriculture including home gardening as a means of achieving self-sufficient vegetable production. By analysing the policy documents, this study explores the sustainability potential and inclusivity of these interventions.
Paper long abstract:
Urban agriculture is getting traction as Nature-based Solutions to address multitude of socio-environmental and economic challenges related to sustainability. However, the presence of urban agriculture always doesn't guarantee sustainability outcomes (Pascucci 2020). The specific context and the kind of practices determine the sustainability potential of urban agriculture and who gets its benefits. In India, there is a class difference in the involvement of urban agriculture practice. While there are many economically weaker sections of migrant farmers involved in agrochemical-based intensive commercial urban and peri-urban agriculture (Cook et. al. 2014), middle- and upper-class populations are focused on organic and agroecological production on the rooftops (Frazier 2018), backyards, and privately allotted commercial spaces. As urban agriculture is increasingly gaining government attention, it is pertinent to understand which sections of the society are benefited and who is left out in the process. In this context, this study looks into the inclusivity of government interventions in Kerala to promote urban home gardening and its sustainability potential. The study is based on secondary literature including policy documents, other government documents, and newspaper reports. Though enhanced local vegetable production was the driving force behind government promotion of urban home gardens in Kerala, much of these interventions focus on enhancing circularity, resilience, and sustainability. The subsidy support enables people to start urban home gardening with very little investment, as low as USD7. Yet, more attention needs to be given to extending the benefits of technological support to the economically weaker sections of society.
Click the star to add/remove an item to/from your individual schedule.
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Accepted Paper:
Paper short abstract:
Paper long abstract:
Urban agriculture is getting traction as Nature-based Solutions to address multitude of socio-environmental and economic challenges related to sustainability. However, the presence of urban agriculture always doesn't guarantee sustainability outcomes (Pascucci 2020). The specific context and the kind of practices determine the sustainability potential of urban agriculture and who gets its benefits. In India, there is a class difference in the involvement of urban agriculture practice. While there are many economically weaker sections of migrant farmers involved in agrochemical-based intensive commercial urban and peri-urban agriculture (Cook et. al. 2014), middle- and upper-class populations are focused on organic and agroecological production on the rooftops (Frazier 2018), backyards, and privately allotted commercial spaces. As urban agriculture is increasingly gaining government attention, it is pertinent to understand which sections of the society are benefited and who is left out in the process. In this context, this study looks into the inclusivity of government interventions in Kerala to promote urban home gardening and its sustainability potential. The study is based on secondary literature including policy documents, other government documents, and newspaper reports. Though enhanced local vegetable production was the driving force behind government promotion of urban home gardens in Kerala, much of these interventions focus on enhancing circularity, resilience, and sustainability. The subsidy support enables people to start urban home gardening with very little investment, as low as USD7. Yet, more attention needs to be given to extending the benefits of technological support to the economically weaker sections of society.
Just Growing Cities? Examining how sustainability and wellbeing implications of urban agriculture are distributed in the Global South
Session 1 Friday 8 July, 2022, -