Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, Michigan
Urban agriculture is touted as a strategy for more locally reliant food systems, yet there is little understanding of its potential food provisioning capacity. Using Detroit, Michigan as an example, we use secondary data to develop a methodology for estimating the acreage required to supply, as far...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2016-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/25 |
| _version_ | 1797727264384745472 |
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| author | Kathryn J. A. Colasanti Michael W. Hamm |
| author_facet | Kathryn J. A. Colasanti Michael W. Hamm |
| author_sort | Kathryn J. A. Colasanti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban agriculture is touted as a strategy for more locally reliant food systems, yet there is little understanding of its potential food provisioning capacity. Using Detroit, Michigan as an example, we use secondary data to develop a methodology for estimating the acreage required to supply, as far as seasonally possible, the quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed by city residents. We compare these requirements with a catalog of the publicly owned, vacant parcels in Detroit to assess the feasibility of producing significant quantities of the fresh produce consumed within city limits. We demonstrate that if high-yield, biointensive growing methods are used, 31% and 17% of the seasonally available vegetables and fruits, respectively, currently consumed by 900,000 people could be supplied on less than 300 acres without incorporating extraordinary postharvest management or season-extension technology. This indicates that urban agriculture could play an important role in food provisioning in many places. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:57:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3a8663d482a748e39bd829b6a3232cfb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2152-0801 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:57:21Z |
| publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
| publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-3a8663d482a748e39bd829b6a3232cfb2023-09-02T06:08:57ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012016-10-011210.5304/jafscd.2010.012.00225Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, MichiganKathryn J. A. Colasanti0Michael W. Hamm1Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityUrban agriculture is touted as a strategy for more locally reliant food systems, yet there is little understanding of its potential food provisioning capacity. Using Detroit, Michigan as an example, we use secondary data to develop a methodology for estimating the acreage required to supply, as far as seasonally possible, the quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed by city residents. We compare these requirements with a catalog of the publicly owned, vacant parcels in Detroit to assess the feasibility of producing significant quantities of the fresh produce consumed within city limits. We demonstrate that if high-yield, biointensive growing methods are used, 31% and 17% of the seasonally available vegetables and fruits, respectively, currently consumed by 900,000 people could be supplied on less than 300 acres without incorporating extraordinary postharvest management or season-extension technology. This indicates that urban agriculture could play an important role in food provisioning in many places.https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/25Food SupplyLocal Food SystemsSeason ExtensionUrban AgricultureUrban Sustainability |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn J. A. Colasanti Michael W. Hamm Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, Michigan Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development Food Supply Local Food Systems Season Extension Urban Agriculture Urban Sustainability |
| title | Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, Michigan |
| title_full | Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, Michigan |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, Michigan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, Michigan |
| title_short | Assessing the Local Food Supply Capacity of Detroit, Michigan |
| title_sort | assessing the local food supply capacity of detroit michigan |
| topic | Food Supply Local Food Systems Season Extension Urban Agriculture Urban Sustainability |
| url | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/25 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathrynjacolasanti assessingthelocalfoodsupplycapacityofdetroitmichigan AT michaelwhamm assessingthelocalfoodsupplycapacityofdetroitmichigan |