Why urban agriculture in Toronto?
The planned escalation of urban agriculture in Toronto recognizes the potential for activities to achieve social outcomes and community benefits such as increased engagement, employment, health, environmental sustainability, volunteerism, capacity building, safety and learning opportunities.
When can we start collecting data on urban agriculture in Toronto?
between the Toronto Food Policy Council and urban agriculture organizations can begin collecting data using the existing indicators in 2017. Work on the compelling but more challenging indicators can continue until a comprehensive set of indicators is completed.
How can we build a compelling case for urban farming in Toronto?
Building a compelling case will need the collaboration of the City of Toronto as well as civil society organizations like Toronto Urban Growers and urban agriculture practitioners.
What is the Toronto agricultural program?
The Toronto Agricultural Program aligns city-wide urban agriculture activity and outcomes with other key City strategies, including Parks Plan 2013-2017, Toronto Strong Neighborhoods 2020, – 10 – Staff report for action on Toronto Agricultural Program
Is there agriculture in Toronto?
TRCA leases over 279 hectares of agricultural land to farmers, who grow food for the Greater Toronto Area. When you visit a TRCA farm, you are supporting local food and sustainable farming, right in your backyard.
Where did urban farming originate?
3500 BCE Mesopotamia Some of the first evidence of urban agriculture comes from Mesopotamia. Indeed, farmers set aside small plots of land for farming within the city’s walls.
When did urban gardening start?
In the 1990s, a systematic approach to urban agriculture was introduced in Quezon City with its Urban Agriculture Program conceptualized by the Bureau of Agricultural Research. The program aimed to develop technologies on the raising and use of crops, livestock and fish in the urban setting.
What causes urban agriculture?
… Urban agriculture is driven by a combination of factors linked to severe food crisis, failure of land reform program, worsening poverty, agriculture market failure, political and economic challenges due to failure of government economic policies (Mkhokheli, 2012;Chaminuka & Dube, 2017;Gwetsayi, et al., 2016;Nwosisi …
What are examples of urban agriculture?
What is Urban Agriculture?Backyard Gardens.Tactical Gardens.Street landscaping.Forest gardening.Greenhouses.Rooftop gardens.Green walls.Vertical farms.More items…
Who invented urban planting?
Allotment gardens came up in Germany in the early 19th century as a response to poverty and food insecurity. In 1893, citizens of a depression-struck Detroit were asked to use any vacant lots to grow vegetables. They were nicknamed Pingree’s Potato Patches after the mayor, Hazen S. Pingree, who came up with the idea.
What are the characteristics of urban agriculture?
Typically urban agriculture applies intensive production methods, frequently using and reusing natural resources and urban wastes, to yield a diverse array of land-, water-, and air-based fauna and flora contributing to food security, health, livelihood, and environment of the individual, household, and community.
How do you define urban agriculture?
Farmers.gov. “Urban agriculture generally refers to the cultivation, processing and distribution of agricultural products in urban and suburban settings, including things like vertical production, warehouse farms, community gardens, rooftop farms, hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic facilities, and other innovations.
Community Gardens
Community gardens provide access to land within the City for groups of people who wish to grow their own plants. Join an existing community garden or apply to create a new community garden.
Allotment Gardens
The City offers 11 outdoor and one indoor allotment gardens. The gardens are a great way to grow food and flowers and to participate in a community of fellow gardeners.
1993
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Interdepartmentalcollaboration in the City leads to the creation of the report: “Supports forUrban Food Production: Creating a Garden City.”
See more on torontourbangrowers.org
1997
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Community GardensProgram Coordinator position created in the Parks, Forestry, and Recreationdivision of the City.
1999
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City Councilendorses the Community Garden Action Plan, which sets the goal of establishinga community garden in every ward of the city. Founding ofToronto Community Garden Network.
2005
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The City’sCommunity Partnership and Investment Program funds FoodShare Toronto, and itspartners The Stop Community Food Centre, the Afri-Can Food Basket and SecondHarvest to start the Toronto Community Food Animators Program.
2009
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Toronto UrbanGrowers founding meeting happens! TRCA introduces aprogressive Sustainable Near-Urban Agriculture Policy. Through adoptingthe report “Identifying Urban Agriculture Opportunities in the City ofToronto,” City Council affirms its support for strategies and initiatives thatachieve the overall goal of expanding opportunities for local food productionin Toronto.
2010
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The Toronto FoodStrategy is established as a unit in Toronto Public Health. Goals of theStrategy include the development of policy and program options to support anincrease in urban agriculture activities across the City. Could Torontoprovide 10% of its fresh vegetable requirements from within its ownboundaries?Paper published by RodMacRae et al. Metcalf Foundation Food Soluti…
2012
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City Councilendorses the Greater Golden Horseshoe Action Plan, which promotes thepreservation of farmland in Ontario as well as the expansion of urbanopportunities to produce food. Urban AgricultureSummit led by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities occurs in August. GrowTO: An urbanagriculture action planpassed by Parks and Environment Committee.
2015
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The City releases A Guide to Growing and Selling Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Toronto. City Council endorses the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, joining 100 other cities around the world in committing to support sustainable, equitable food systems.
2016
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Toronto becomes Canada’s first Bee City 2020 Provincial and municipal governments recognize community gardens as an essential food service, not a recreational facility. This allowed community gardens to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.