Innovation system approach for urban agriculture: Case study of Mexico City

Abstract

This chapter presents an innovation system approach for urban agriculture. It argues that urban agriculture is a systemic concept-agriculture intertwined with urban dynamic-but that a systemic approach is often missing. Such an approach allows identifying strengths and weaknesses of urban agriculture for a particular city, region or country, in a comprehensive way. Based on these insights, more precise and targeted policies can be designed to stimulate urban agriculture and innovations needed in its context. The chapter illustrates this through the presentation of urban agriculture in Mexico City, presented in a number of elements of an innovation system, such as system boundaries, dynamics, institutions, knowledge, and learning cultures. Cultural dimensions are as yet only rarely recognized. The chapter describes how the cultural dimensions of urban agriculture are very important in understanding the case of Mexico City, and probably in much more cities.