Urban food production is becoming increasingly popular all around the globe.  Urban agriculture accounts for 15 percent of the total agricultural land in the world (Tefft et al., 2017).  A variety of resources, including waste lands, idle lands, roof tops, grey water, and compostable wastes are available in cities.  In most instances, the production occurs in small scales and with limited resources.  There is a need to organize urban food production on ecological principles in order to sustain food productivity and minimize urban waste problems.  The challenge that encounters urban agriculture is how to avoid adverse environmental impacts (e.g., chemical runoff, etc.) which confronts conventional agriculture.    

This workshop will focus on various ecological and resource topics that play critical roles in sustaining urban agriculture: (1) ecological principles relating to food production (e.g., soil structure, organisms, integrated pest management, plant diversity), (2) organizational settings (e.g., backyard, school and community gardens); (3) direct consumer marketing); and (4) urban food awareness.  The workshop includes presentations on each topic to stimulate discussions.  Participants will then break into groups, with each one being assigned the role of certain production entity (e.g., school garden, community garden, farmers’ market, food forager, etc.).  The groups will develop charrettes to organize their production based on agrocological principles and towards achieving food security.  Participants will also develop vision and mission statements, identify urban resources, and develop organizational strategies.  The workshop will thus connect researchers and practitioners and help advance the application of ecological and economic principles to food production.