Proponents of urban agriculture in North America have
cited a variety of benefits. These include improving access to
healthy food, promoting social cohesion, creating opportunities
for physical activity, improving urban economic wellbeing
and revitalizing low-income communities. Several
recent reviews suggest that while the evidence documenting
the population health impact of urban agriculture is still
sparse, its multiplicity of benefits and the magnitude of
threats to the alternative of industrial agriculture make it
likely that it will continue to attract policy maker and food
movement interest.4e8 To inform the needed dialogue on
urban agriculture policy among the public health, food, land
use, zoning, environmental planning and economic development
sectors, both intersectoral analyses and ‘thick’ descriptions
of local practice are needed.