DEVELOPING SPATIAL TYPOLOGY FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE INITIATIVES TO ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY IN JORDAN

Abstract

The study investigates the current Urban Agriculture (UA) initiatives in Jordan on multiple spatial typology scales, addressing their different stakeholders and identifying the produced crops compared to their sufficiency level across the country, which is crucial to understanding the role of Urban agriculture in achieving food security and sufficiency in Jordan. The study is based on extensive desk research covering around 105 sources to identify the crucial dimensions of Urban agriculture. The study uses diagrammatic representations to analyze these dimensions and stimulate discussions through interviews conducted later with 12 key members. The study also uses thematic analysis to generate relevant themes that target Urban agriculture's main issues and opportunities in Jordan. The study discusses the levels of integration and continuity between the different Urban agriculture scales to achieve food security, the reasons for such distribution and spread, provided opportunities and faced challenges, as well as the key factors that resulted in success or failure along with the potential risks facing Urban agriculture in Jordan. Four themes were identified as a result of the interpretations of these discussions covering the needs and sufficiency, ownership, coordination between stakeholders, and the nature of products. The study addresses the main aspects, problems, and opportunities related to Urban agriculture in Jordan and integration between scales, stakeholders, and crops and provides recommendations for the key stakeholders on how to emphasize their contribution to the required level of Urban agriculture to achieve sufficiency and ensure local food security as an outcome. The study also provides a standing point to stimulate further research in these areas.