Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Livelihood Strategy or Lifestyle Choice? A study of middle and high-income urban farmers in Mumbai

Macfarlane, Kirsty LU (2011) SIMT25 20111
Department of Human Geography
Master of Science in Development Studies
Graduate School
Abstract
Urban Agriculture (UA) in becoming more visible globally, in part due to the crisis of the food system in 2007-8 but also due to recognition of the benefits of the practice in providing food, biodiversity and contributions toward sustainability. UA is considered in this thesis as a form of ‘food system relocalization’ which provides an alternative to the global food system. Relocalizing food systems can contribute to the ‘right-sizing’ of economies advocated by sustainable degrowth. I investigate how UA is constructed in Mumbai and the reasons why middle and high-income urban farmers chose to engage in the practice. This study has a qualitative methodology comprising of a case study of Urban Leaves - a citizen initiative promoting UA,... (More)
Urban Agriculture (UA) in becoming more visible globally, in part due to the crisis of the food system in 2007-8 but also due to recognition of the benefits of the practice in providing food, biodiversity and contributions toward sustainability. UA is considered in this thesis as a form of ‘food system relocalization’ which provides an alternative to the global food system. Relocalizing food systems can contribute to the ‘right-sizing’ of economies advocated by sustainable degrowth. I investigate how UA is constructed in Mumbai and the reasons why middle and high-income urban farmers chose to engage in the practice. This study has a qualitative methodology comprising of a case study of Urban Leaves - a citizen initiative promoting UA, online interviews and analysis of discourse relating to UA in Mumbai. From the study UA is practiced as a lifestyle choice among middle and high-income urban farmers, the main focus of which is in providing local, organic food using agro-ecological farming practices. UA is a means to contribute towards a reconnection with nature, healthier lifestyles and the sustainability of Mumbai. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Macfarlane, Kirsty LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMT25 20111
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Urban Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, Degrowth, Local Food
language
English
id
1967006
date added to LUP
2011-07-06 08:05:20
date last changed
2015-12-14 13:34:52
@misc{1967006,
  abstract     = {{Urban Agriculture (UA) in becoming more visible globally, in part due to the crisis of the food system in 2007-8 but also due to recognition of the benefits of the practice in providing food, biodiversity and contributions toward sustainability. UA is considered in this thesis as a form of ‘food system relocalization’ which provides an alternative to the global food system. Relocalizing food systems can contribute to the ‘right-sizing’ of economies advocated by sustainable degrowth. I investigate how UA is constructed in Mumbai and the reasons why middle and high-income urban farmers chose to engage in the practice. This study has a qualitative methodology comprising of a case study of Urban Leaves - a citizen initiative promoting UA, online interviews and analysis of discourse relating to UA in Mumbai. From the study UA is practiced as a lifestyle choice among middle and high-income urban farmers, the main focus of which is in providing local, organic food using agro-ecological farming practices. UA is a means to contribute towards a reconnection with nature, healthier lifestyles and the sustainability of Mumbai.}},
  author       = {{Macfarlane, Kirsty}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Livelihood Strategy or Lifestyle Choice? A study of middle and high-income urban farmers in Mumbai}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}