Abstract
The main objective of this paper was to expose the growing number of positively impacted communities from urban agriculture across the United States. Data was collected from case studies completed around the United States, as well as other countries as supportive evidence. I have spent the last few years of my life learning and practicing the trade of sustainable agriculture by taking courses from around the world. The experiences I have been a part of, observations I’ve made, and lessons taught are included in this paper. Urban agriculture has been proving itself a necessity, rather than an aesthetic addition, to cities in recent years. Communities of all regions see success stories happen again and again from growing together. Our current food systems have become a burden on the environment and the economy. The majority of developed cities depend on grocery stores to gather all of the food needed to feed their populations from far away. Urban agriculture provides an opportunity to grow within the city limits and have fresh produce brought to the table from the same neighborhood and region it was grown in. There are challenges facing urban agriculture being applied as a main food source, including the density of most cities providing little space to have additional features added to it. However, many cities have plenty of empty space not being utilized or are being underutilized. Urban agriculture can be the solution to filling these spaces and creating a healthy environment for all.
Year Manuscript Completed
Spring 2017
Senior Project Advisor
Dr. Iin Handayani
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Integrated Studies Degree
Field of Study
Agricultural Studies
Document Type
Thesis - Murray State Access only
Recommended Citation
Padgett, James C., "The Rise of Urban Agriculture" (2017). Integrated Studies. 18.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/bis437/18