Urban agriculture and innovative entrepreneurship

Abstract

Urban agriculture (or urban farming) is a new and innovative field in business development, bridging the gap between the producer and the local urban community, being an area where the entrepreneurship can have diverse initiatives and approaches. Urban agriculture generally refers to the cultivation, processing and distribution of agricultural products in urban and suburban settings, including directions like vertical production, warehouse farms, community gardens, rooftop farms, hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic facilities or other innovations. This type of farming adapted to the limited space available in the city has various advantages but it faces also challenges. The benefits of setting-up an urban farm consist in creating jobs for local low-income communities, waste reduction, urban revitalization, community education and development, while the main challenges refer to the lack of policy and regulations addressing urban farming in statutory plans and zoning bylaws, possible noise or restrictions on farm structures such as greenhouses and storage sheds. This paper aims to highlight ways to improve entrepreneurial skills through innovative ideas on agricultural activities in urban and peri-urban areas, exemplifying different initiatives associated with effective management in this regard and describing this sector less known and in Romania but with a high growth potential.