Integrating Urban Agriculture into Municipal Planning: Policy Frameworks and Stakeholder Engagement in European Cities

Abstract:

Despite growing recognition of urban agriculture’s role in sustainable food systems, its integration into municipal planning remains fragmented. This paper examines policy frameworks and stakeholder engagement mechanisms across 12 European cities, analyzing how urban agriculture is institutionalized in land-use plans, zoning regulations, and sustainability strategies. Through qualitative interviews with planners, farmers, and community organizers, we identify three emerging models: regulatory integration (e.g., Berlin’s zoning amendments), incentive-based approaches (e.g., Lisbon’s tax breaks for urban farms), and participatory planning (e.g., Warsaw’s community garden co-design). Barriers include land ownership conflicts, funding constraints, and lack of cross-departmental coordination. We propose a multi-level governance framework to streamline integration, emphasizing inclusive decision-making and adaptive policy tools to enhance food security and socio-economic equity in urban contexts.