Agropolis: The Social, Political and Environmental Dimensions of Urban Agriculture [Paperback]

Luc J. A. Mougeot (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 3, 2005

Urban agriculture is an increasingly popular practice in cities worldwide. A sustainable future for it is critical, especially for the urban poor of the developing world. This book presents the first findings of original field research projects funded by IDRC's AGROPOLIS International Graduate Research Awards on Urban Agriculture. Countries studied include Argentina, Botswana, C�te d'Ivoire, Cuba, France,Togo,Tunisia, the UK and Zimbabwe.Together, these studies examine concrete strategies to better integrate 'city farming' into the urban landscape.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Agropolis present nine research studies that explore diverse urban agricultural environments in five African and two Latin American countries, plus one British and one combined French-Tunisian study, with introductory and conclusive essays by Mougeot. These essays discuss environments that are far removed from the small, sustainable model sometimes presented in the US as an antidote to modern industrial agriculture--those in which (1) urban agriculture is seen as a means of providing food for thickly populated areas where the transportation infrastructure is much less sophisticated, (2) local resources are used as inputs, and (3) there is significant impact on the social and economic fabric of the urban locale, together with active involvement from official of NGO bodies. The case studies are detailed and rigorous and, as Mougeot points out, suggest a need for more experimentation in this nascent area of study to examine such factors as local policy-making groups and socio-biodiversity. They also suggest an opportunity for substituting action research for more traditional analysis. Summing UP: Recommended. Comprehensive collections in agriculture, economics, and sociology supporting upper-level undergraduates and above."--L. S. Cline, Missouri State University in CHOICE

About the Author

Luc J A Mougeot is Senior Program Specialist at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), where he initiated the Cities Feeding People initiative in 1997.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (July 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844072320
• ISBN-13: 978-1844072323
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,188,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Urban agricultural issues revealed, April 22, 2006

By 

D. Donovan, Editor/Sr. Reviewer "California B... (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Agropolis: The Social, Political and Environmental Dimensions of Urban Agriculture (Paperback)

Luc J.A. Mougeot's AGROPOLIS: THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF URBAN AGRICULTURE offers a detailed, in-depth survey of urban agricultural issues, presenting the first findings of original field work funded by IDRC's AGROPOLIS project, conducted in mostly third world countries around the world. These studies consider how to blend 'city farming' into an urban landscape, discussing changing perspectives on regional urban agriculture, local sustainable development programs, and political and economic issues from urban area samplings.