Planting Seeds of Change in Urban Spaces: Reflections on Urban Agriculture through Community, Sustainability and Food Insecurity in Newark, New Jersey

Abstract

In this thesis, I use ethnographic fieldwork to exemplify the relationship between urban agriculture and socioeconomic development, specifically low-income status. The goal was to look into urban agriculture through the themes of sustainability, community development, and food insecurity. Through this study, the initial idea was to develop if urban agriculture can be seen as a solution to food insecurity in low-income communities. The focus location is Newark, New Jersey, one of the heavily populated cities in the state with high rates of poverty. Through ethnographic fieldwork, I volunteered at an Urban Agriculture Cooperative to assist in the daily work of the farming, packaging, and transportation process of produce. Through participant-observation, immersive research, and field interviews, I was able to understand the process and benefit of urban agriculture but see the effects in person. The main themes found were the positive influence of urban agriculture on community bonding, togetherness, environmental sustainability, and food security for the community. In the end, my contribution is to provide a guide to starting urban agriculture to prospective leaders within low-income communities. This will be able to have all resources in one spot and able to reference when needed. Urban agriculture is a growing movement that can be the future for food security and environmental sustainability.