28th August, 2013

Contributor:  City of Gothenburg

The city of Gothenburg owns a great deal of urban agricultural land and the city have the intention to make it possible to take care of and develop urban agriculture and organic food-production. 

Results

We can see that different kinds of small-scale urban farming has increased the last two years. It is a beginning of better work to be done – it will upscale in the future. Land between houses is one example.

Benefits

Biological diversity, binding hydrocarbon substances and dicrease greenhouse gases. We increase the species richness, we get more insects, butterflies etc.

The growing is preferred to be ecological. The inhabitants that qrows stay close to home? Ride the bike and avoid to take the car, hopefully.

Pro and Contra

Pro:

• The city and municipality via the politicians shows what values are important in Gothenburg, and what they (and the people) want.
• We gain a better environment to live in, a richer social life, what connect people, you re-learn forgotten skills.
• It is important that a huge city can continue to grow at the same time join varied and rich (green) nature. Some of the politicians don’t want growth (buildings) everywhere.

Contra:

• The department in charge of this assignment (Real Estate department) don’t have a long experience and yet don’t exactly know how to administer and manage the task. “We got the task but don’t know how to ask”.

What are the lessons learn to be used/transferred/implemented in the other partner cities?

Question to the network

How can we bridge the gap between the political intention and the officials task what to do? In Sweden it often gets complicated and difficult. We need harmony between goal and task.

How can people get through a huge administrative system, do what they want, get results, without being neglected.

References: http://www.stadsnaraodling.se/

Annette Gustavsson, Fastighetskontoret (The Real Estate office). The city of Gothenburg.