Investigating local policy instruments for different types of urban agriculture in four European cities: A case study analysis on the use and effectiveness of the applied policy instruments

Over the last decades, urban agriculture (UA) and controlled environmental agriculture (CEA) have been growing in many urban areas of the world to supply fresh food locally and to provide multiple benefits for the sustainable development of urban landscapes. Municipal policies and regulatory tools are increasingly employed to support UA/CEA and minimize practical challenges. However, especially in Europe, there is a lack of systematic reviews that evaluate the impacts of city-level food policies for UA/CEA and their effectiveness as perceived by local responsible actors. To address this gap, this study presents a qualitative overview of municipal policies that affect UA/CEA. We reviewed more than 83 policy documents and manuscripts and performed an online structured survey targeting key local managers or employees of UA and innovative CEA systems in four EU cities - Barcelona (Spain), Lyon (France), Trieste and Udine (Italy). We assessed policy tools, especially for three identified types of UA (allotment gardens, community gardens and closed spaces using CEA) by mainly focusing on public and private institutions and including aspects concerning land use planning, health and environmental policies. The findings demonstrate how the four cities' municipal governments specifically designed and combined a multiplicity of policy instruments to enable, regulate and acknowledge UA/CEA as part of the urban metabolism and landscape. The policy instruments were shaped by different local governance and institutional structures as well as by the local actors and community practitioners and their growing interest in UA/CEA.

Automated summary

In recent decades, urban agriculture (UA) and controlled environmental agriculture (CEA) have been blossoming in urban areas around the world, providing fresh food and contributing to the sustainable development of urban landscapes. Municipal policies and regulatory tools play a crucial role in supporting and managing UA and CEA. However, there is a lack of systematic evaluations of the impacts and effectiveness of city-level food policies for UA/CEA, especially in Europe. This study aims to fill this gap by examining municipal policies that affect UA/CEA in four EU cities and analyzing the various policy instruments employed.