Urban Horticulture, from Local Initiatives to Urban horticulture is expected to have positive impacts on nutrition Global Success Stories quality and health. The global nu- trition transition describes large changes in dietary and physical activ- Roland Ebel1, Esmaeil Fallahi2, John L. Griffis, Jr.3, ity patterns of rural dwellers in de- Dilip Nandwani4, Donielle Nolan5, Ross H. Penhallegon6, veloping nations migrating to urban areas (Pinstrup-Andersen, 2019). and Mary Rogers7 The amount of physical activity of these migrants declines while they concurrently change their nutrition ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. botanical gardens, chinampa, collective action, farmer- habits, often culminating in a ‘‘west- to-farmer program, urban agriculture ern diet’’ (high intake of fats, added SUMMARY. Urban horticulture describes economically viable horticultural pro- sugars, animal-source foods, and re- duction activities conducted in a city or suburb. It is a growing segment of horti- fined carbohydrates). A global trend culture in the United States as well as in developing countries, where the enormous toward obesity and diabetes is the growth of megalopolis is not backed by a simultaneous increase of farmland or result (Popkin, 2015). Although agricultural productivity. Today, urban horticulture includes food sovereignty in various factors (such as consumer underprivileged neighborhoods, increased availability of vegetables and fruits in preferences, incomes, and food pri- big cities, healthy and diverse diets, improved food safety, low transportation costs, efficient resource use, and the mitigation of environmental impacts of horticultural ces) determine the dietary transi- production such as the emission of greenhouse gases. The workshop ‘‘Urban hor- tion,accesstofoodiscrucial.In ticulture: From local initiatives to global success stories,’’ held at the 2018 American many of today’s megacities, a few Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) conference in Washington, DC, featured supermarkets have replaced the for- present and historical success stories of urban horticulture from Asia, Africa, Latin merly omnipresent open markets. America, and the United States. Consequently, the physical access to fresh horticultural produce has rban horticulture brings to- that are conducted in a city or suburb become the most limiting factor for gether what used to be widely (Ohyama et al., 2008). consuming healthy food. Locally separated: food production The concept of urban horticul- produced and sold horticultural prod- U ucts increase the access to diversified, and urban space. In a broader sense, ture is widely congruent with the urban horticulture encompasses every- terms urban agriculture or urban farm- healthy diets available throughout the thing from small home and commu- ing. Urban horticulture is both a site year. In addition, local production de- nity gardens to city park management, characterization and a production creases transport and storage time and, rooftop and wall greening, as well as strategy. During the past decade, the therefore, minimizes food safety risks complex vertical farms. In a narrower idea has left the circles of producers (Pinstrup-Andersen, 2019). Bringing producers and consu- sense, noncommercial uses are ex- and scholars and has become increas- mers closer together has environmental cluded, and the term refers to eco- ingly popular in political discussions, benefits. Shifting food production to nomically viable horticultural activities especially in the face of global popula- locations with high demand reduces tion growth. With a world population the emission of greenhouse gases. Received for publication 17 Oct. 2019. Accepted for of 9.6 billion by 2050, an ongoing publication 18 Nov. 2019. To date, the amount of emitted carbon urbanization process (today, more Published online 31 December 2019. dioxide by transporting fruits and vege- than 50% of the world’s population 1Montana State University, Department of Health tables is comparable to or greater than and Human Development, MSU Campus Reid Hall live in cities; by 2030, this number will the amount emitted during the produc- 345, Bozeman, MT 59717 rise to 70%), and a simultaneous de- tion process (Ohyama et al., 2008). 2University of Idaho, Department of Plant Sciences, crease in availability of arable land in 29603 U of I Lane, Parma, ID 83660 In economic terms, less trans- rural areas, urban farming has become portation means fewer transportation 3Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, an increasingly popular alternative to Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard costs, and urban horticulture can help S., Ft. Myers, FL 33965 land-extensive rural food production. revitalize unused areas and deterio- 4Tennessee State University, Department of Agricul- As a result, today, at least 100 million rated neighborhoods. Finally, urban tural and Environmental Sciences, 203 Lawson Hall, people worldwide are dedicated to horticulture is characterized by a high Nashville, TN 37209 urban farming; and with potential resource efficiency and productivity 5George Mason University, Office of Sustainability, yields of up to 50 kgÁm–2 (10.2 lb/ft2) 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030 per area. Thanks to the frequent use per year and more, vegetable produc- 6Oregon State University Extension Service, 950 W. of hydroponics and fertigation, water 13 Avenue, Eugene, OR 97402 tion is the most productive compo- and nutrient recycling rates are ele- 7Department of Horticultural Science, University of nent of urban farming (Eigenbrod vated (Pinstrup-Andersen, 2019). For Minnesota, 305 Alderman, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St. and Gruda, 2015). an even more sustainable production in Paul, MN 55108 Urban horticulture offers nu- the future, low-input systems such as R.E. is the corresponding author. E-mail: roland. merous benefits, especially in the [email protected]. organoponics (system of urban agricul- fields of 1) consumer health and ture using organic gardens, popular This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/ nutrition, 2) environmental conse- in Cuba) will play an increasingly im- licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). quences, as well as 3) economic ad- portant role (Eigenbrod and Gruda, https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04525-19 vantages and resource efficiency. 2015). 4 • February 2020 30(1) Regarding limitations of urban Similar historic achievements Livstrom, Brandon Roiger, and Amy horticulture, most systems are still were made in Mesoamerica: The so- Smith deals with urban agriculture expensive. The high initial investment called chinampas (which can still be and youth development summer pro- is a limiting factor, especially in de- found south of Mexico City) are gram in a North Minneapolis, MN, veloping countries. Rising land prices raised fields on a small, artificial island neighborhood. Teenagers who face and urban pollution are further con- on a freshwater lake surrounded by barriers to employment, particularly straints to the expansion of urban hor- canals and ditches. The canal water youth from low-income families, youth ticulture (Eigenbrod and Gruda, 2015). rises through capillarity to the crops of color, youth from immigrant fami- Our series of publications high- and reduces the need for irrigation. lies, and youth with disabilities, were lights success stories of urban horti- Yearly, chinampas allow up to seven trained by undergraduate students and culture from all over the world. It is harvests of vegetables and ornamen- so-called garden mentors in as diverse the result of the workshop ‘‘Urban tals. Learn more about chinampas and fields as horticultural production and horticulture: From local initiatives to how these agroecosystems may be cooking. This resulted in a mutually global success stories,’’ held at the used in the cities of our times in beneficial experience for students and 2018 ASHS conference in Washing- ‘‘Chinampas: An Urban Farming Model trainees. ton, DC. The workshop was as di- of the Aztecs and a Potential Solution Urban horticulture has the po- verse as urban horticulture itself. for Modern Megalopolis’’ by Roland tential to change the world’s horticul- There were presentations about the Ebel! tural scenery significantly. Its expansion booming urban horticulture scene in Although most of the discussion requires learning from the past, do- Asia, teaching urban permaculture to about urban horticulture refers to ing research in the present, as well as students in Virginia, and training food, the concept naturally also in- considering the future by educating small farmers in Tajikistan and Kyr- cludes ornamentals produced in cit- farmers and students. gyzstan how to prune their fruit trees. ies. As urban areas in countries such as In the current series, we feature urban Senegal expand and modernize, the Literature cited horticulture in Iran, Mexico, Senegal, demand for ornamental plants in- and the city of Minneapolis, MN. creases. ‘‘Curriculum Development Eigenbrod, C. and N. Gruda. 2015. Ur- Despite being a current trend, and Training on Flowers and Orna- ban vegetable for food security in cities. A urban horticulture has a history of mental Plant Production Practices in review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 35(2):483– more than 3000 years. ‘‘Ancient Ur- Rural Senegal with Winrock Interna- 498. ban Gardens of Persia: Concept, His- tional and the USAID Farmer-to- Ohyama, K., M. Takagaki, and H. Kurasaka. tory, and Influence on Other World Farmer Program’’ by John L. Griffis 2008. Urban horticulture: Its significance