UC Global Food Initiative: Urban Agriculture and Food Disparities Research
Objective: Critically analyze and evaluate urban agriculture (including community gardens, urban
farms, food forests, aquaculture, and animal husbandry) in low-income and underserved neighborhoods
to gauge urban agriculture's potential to reduce food disparities and increase food security.
The UC GFI Urban Agriculture and Food Disparities Research includes 5 interwoven projects
conducted by an interdisciplinary team of 9 UCSD researchers (Social Sciences, Biology, Medical
School, San Diego Supercomputer Center, SIO), in collaboration with researchers at UCB and UCLA.
January 2015-March 2016.
Contact UCSD PI: Keith Pezzoli, Ph.D., kpezzoli@ucsd.edu, Director, Urban Studies and Planning;
Director, Lab for Sustainability Science, Planning and Design; Department of Communication.
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Civic Engagement, Evaluation and Leadership Development
Community Economic Development and Microenterprise
Participatory Spatial Analysis, Mapping and Communication
Measuring and Analyzing Safety of Edible Plant Tissues Grown in Urban Gardens
Bioretention, Natural Treatment Systems and Urban Ecological Restoration
1. Civic Engagement, Evaluation and Leadership Development
Develop a network of community gardens, food forests and backyard growing spaces throughout
the Mountain View neighborhoods of Southeast San ego with the produce being available for
distribution among local residents connected to the Ocean View Growing Grounds. Strengthen
the leadership capacity of community residents and their organizations to articulate their challenges
and bring them into public dialogue and to policy-¬making tables.
2. Community Economic Development and Microenterprise
Investigate the linkages between emerging informal entrepreneurs and local networks for affordable
and healthy food production and distribution. Collaborate with NGOs and residents in City Heights to
identify the location, structure, and demographics of informal food networks in an effort to design
policies and programs to both strengthen the availability of fresh and affordable food as well as
provide opportunities for microentrepreneurs to scale up their work and move to a path of economic
formalization that will ultimate contribute to individual and community wealth.
3. Participatory Spatial Analysis, Mapping and Communication
Develop a set of GIS-based analytical and participatory scenario planning and visualization tools
that can be used by researchers, students and community partners to evaluate real-life
environmental, economic and social issues involving urban agriculture. Model the value of
“green infrastructure” solutions (e.g., neighborhood parks, ecological restoration, community
gardens, food forests, etc.) to address stormwater pollution and brownfield remediation
requirements at a regional and local scale.
4. Measuring and Analyzing Safety of Edible Plant Tissues Grown in Urban Gardens:
Develop an edible plant tissue testing program to quantify and monitor over time any heavy metal
accumulation that may be taking place in the edible tissues of plants and trees (e.g. fruits) people are
growing for food in disadvantaged neighborhoods of San Diego. Toxic heavy metal and arsenic
accumulation in edible plant tissues is a problem facing millions of people around the world leading to
cancer and other diseases.
5. Bioretention, Natural Treatment Systems and Urban Ecological Restoration
Conduct ecological research to determine ways in which we might improve the
efficiency/effectiveness of natural treatment systems (e.g., bioretention designs including bioswales,
biofilters, rain gardens) in community gardens and food forests. Enhance public/community
knowledge about the importance of healthy terrestrial ecosystems--including the vital role plants and
microbial soil communities play in sustaining life, including food production in environments
stressed by climate change.
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Paul Watson, President
and CEO of the Global
Action Research Center
(The Global ARC), and
researcher/lecturer in
Urban
Studies
and
Planning at UC San
Diego, leading a strategic
planning session of local
residents at the Ocean
View Growing Grounds
in Southeastern San
Diego, March 29, 2014.