Series Overview and Learning Objectives
Welcome to the courses in The Promise of Urban Agriculture (PUA) series.
These courses will provide you with critical information for building or supporting successful urban farms. We use the term 'commercial' to include any farm that sells products to support some or all of the farm's activities.
PUA 101: Deciding Where to Farm in the City reviews how to create an urban farm with community in mind. Other topics include urban land access and tenure, and regulations that impact urban farming. If you are interested in any of these topics, please take that course.
PUA 102: Urban Farm Planning and Management covers factors that contribute to an economically viable urban farm, including choosing a business model, knowing when to expand the farm, crop planning, analyzing markets, managing on-farm labor, and promoting a strong farm culture.
PUA 103: Urban Farming by Community Nonprofits is designed for nonprofit farm staff and other nonprofit staff members that manage urban farms. It goes deeper into the specific concerns of operating an urban farm as a nonprofit.
PUA 201: Urban Agriculture Skills for Planners help planners from any size city or municipality understand how urban agriculture is affected by planning priorities, zoning, and comprehensive planning. The course also explores strategies to foster inclusive community engagement, sustainability and equity.
After participating in these courses, you will be able to:
- Articulate the physical, economic, and social factors important to building viable urban farms.
- Understand the relevant policy and planning tools that can support or hinder an urban farm.
- Describe the economic opportunities and risks that affect long-term viability and sustainability of urban farms.
- Distinguish when a nonprofit business structure can be more effective than a for-profit model in meeting social goals for urban farming.
Each course is designed as a standalone learning experience with unique video content and materials. In some cases there may be repetition of content to deepen your understanding of an issue.
We welcome your feedback at the end of each course. We will also offer ways for you to stay connected to a larger community of urban agriculture practitioners and planners.