Keywords: Urban Agriculture, Explorative interviews, Co-creation, Theory of Planned Behavior, Drivers and Barriers, Qualitative content analysis, Borda count method, Majority method
The current spatial layout of cities separates urban residents from their food supply, contributing to various environmental challenges, such as greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. Combined with increased loneliness in cities, rising health
concerns, and a lack of understanding of the risks associated with unhealthy lifestyle
choices, this creates a big problem. To reduce the environmental impact of food production, reduce transportation, to promote a healthier, and more social and sustainable
lifestyle, it is important to geographically and mentally reconnect people with their food
production. This study explores Urban Agriculture (UA) as a viable solution. Existing
literature highlights the benefits UA, on a physical, mental health, environmental, and societal level, particularly in low-socioeconomic status neighborhoods. Even though many
of the benefits of UA, are proven academically, the implementation of UA is lacking, and
longevity of the initiatives is not guaranteed.
This study aims to identify the drivers and barriers to the implementation of and
sustaining engagement with UA of the relevant stakeholders. Accompanied by the Theory
of Planned Behaviour, which is used as the conceptual framework to explain human
intention and behavior. It is assumed that when there are more drivers, or if the drivers
are stronger than the barriers, it is more likely that there is an intention to implement
initiatives and sustain engagement with initiatives.
The first phase of this research consists of conducting explorative interviews with the
secondary stakeholders, referred to as professionals, and aims to cover the broad landscape of information about UA and identify the drivers and barriers known by these
stakeholders. The interviews are analyzed using Qualitative content analysis, resulting in
codes, concepts, and themes. The insights from secondary stakeholders guide the second
phase, involving primary stakeholders, which are residents of the low-SES neighborhoods.
The insights from secondary stakeholders guide the second phase, which involves primary
stakeholders through co-creation sessions. These sessions validate and compare the preliminary insights, focusing on the perceived importance of the identified concepts and
themes.
The results of this research can contribute to developing targeted and nuanced solutions, to weaken and overcome barriers, and strengthen drivers for the implementation
to and sustaining engagement of UA initiatives. The concept Initiative is perceived as
the most significant barrier, the results also show the relevance of focusing on the concepts Social and Health which are perceived as important by both stakeholder groups.
The concept Environment is perceived as important by the secondary, but not by the
primary stakeholders. Future research should focus on using these important concepts
and barriers to overcome the barriers and strengthen the drivers, so people will have a
stronger intention which leads to implementation of and sustaining engagement with UA
initiatives.