Urban Agriculture: A Comparative Study Of Kitchen And Terrace Gardens In Bengaluru And Allotment Gardens In OSLO.

Abstract

The study explores the scope and potential of urban agriculture by gathering the views of various stakeholders. It intends to show how urban planning authorities can benefit from promoting urban agriculture that accounts for the heritage, culture, philosophy and traditional practices of people. The comparative research is exploratory in nature that draw reflections on both differences and similarities of urban agriculture practices in the two cities - Oslo and Bengaluru. The literature survey of historical and contemporary practices in urban agriculture across the globe reveals several socio-economic and environmental dimensions that serves as a panacea for current urban problems. It is found that in developed countries urban agriculture practice has social relevance to foster co-existence of communities among themselves and with nature. The allotment gardens serve as places of recreation and summer retreat. In some countries it receives greater formal institutional support becoming integrated into urban planning, as seen in the case of Norway. In developing countries, urban agriculture has diverse utility. In the case of Bengaluru, the desire to consume chemical-free food, get rid of household garbage and counter air pollution were the key motivations for the practice. However, in both developed and developing countries, the potential of urban agriculture to provide livelihood security for migrants, refugees and urban poor remain undisputed. In the context of increasing globalization, making cities resilient by incorporating urban agriculture in planning is being extensively discussed as a sustainable development goal across the world. The local municipalities in India have not been pro-active or enthusiastic about it. Karl Marx’s theory of alienation and Brundtland Commission report’s on conflict between economic growth and environmentalism, Ambedkar and Léon Duguit’s scholarship on the social function of land is discussed to make a case for exploring the significance of urban agriculture as a common good. From the findings, the study makes a reasonable argument for envisaging urban agriculture policy in Bengaluru. Such a policy must follow needs-based community development approach which is comparable to Carl Rogers ‘people-centered’ therapy in psychology.