The grass is always tastier on the fruitful side : exploring the potentials, opportunities and challenges of urban food production: a case study of Uppsala

Sammanfattning: Urbanization has globally led to economic and infrastructural growth but has also resulted in environmental degradation, decreased access to fertile agricultural land, increased food demand, and fragmentation of essential ecosystems. These challenges are prevalent in Swedish cities, including Uppsala, where green spaces are predominantly covered by lawns. Concurrently, there is a growing interest in urban food production in Uppsala, with the municipality aiming to promote urban and rural agriculture and examine its feasibility through a political task in the 2023 Goals and Budget. Despite increased awareness of the need for urban food production, there is a significant gap between ambition and infrastructure for promoting it at the municipal level. This thesis explores the opportunities and challenges in planning, establishing, and managing urban food production on a municipal level, with a focus on transforming lawns into productive urban spaces that can address the human-nature dissociation through the lens of “Extinction of Experience”; a theory which explores human-nature disconnection, where individuals are less likely to value, preserve, and protect the environment, thus exacerbating environmental degradation. We seek to map the complexity of the issue by studying the experience, ambitions and reflections of municipal actors and the potential of urban food production as a pathway to reverse the "Extinction of Experience" by examining the case of Ultuna Permakultur, an urban food production initiative. It is within this context that our thesis is framed. The findings of this thesis demonstrate that planning and anchoring aspects are the primary concerns within the municipal sector regarding the longevity and sustainability of urban food production in Uppsala. The possibilities and challenges are found to be determined by land ownership and land use, with public spaces presenting the most obstacles due to their public nature, especially for commercial purposes. Examples of solutions from other municipalities where these challenges have been partially overcome are agreements with associations and the regulation of accessibility through official documents and municipal coordination roles for cultivation. However, other land use e.g. vacant land holds greater potential for conversion into food-producing environments than public land. The results also indicate that integrating food production into urban spaces, including public lawns can promote self-sufficiency, foster a deeper connection with nature, and potentially reverse the “Extinction of Experience”. If properly planned and anchored, these initiatives can serve as catalysts for community-building, education, and sustainable transformation, promoting environmentally conscious behaviors to address broader societal issues. Municipalities can play a vital role by actively supporting local initiatives, providing necessary infrastructure, and adopting proactive sustainability measures for urban food production within Uppsala's urban and peri-urban boundaries that can address the conflicts arising from urbanization, population growth, and increasing food demand. As landscape architects and planners, we bear the responsibility to promote sustainable planning and design, acting as catalysts for necessary social and environmental transformations. By taking proactive action rather than waiting for crises, we can pave the way towards a more resilient and sustainable future.