How to become An Urban Agriculture Specialist

• Urban Farming Specialist
• Guerilla Farming Specialist
• Foodscaping Specialist

What do Urban Agricultural Specialists do?

An Urban Agricultural Specialist would typically need to:

• Design and oversee the implementation of innovative and sustainable peri-urban agriculture project components and urban value chain components in designated urban areas
• Maintain state-required records as well as write success stories that emphasize the impact of Urban Agriculture in the community
• Work with regional-based staff to utilize state-wide programs and resources in order to develop innovative, needs-driven education programs, write and secure grants to support and enhance local activities, and manage volunteers to strengthen the local foods value chain
• Deliver educational programs in horticulture, community gardening, production, food safety, and marketing to interested community groups to increase local involvement
• Build and support partnerships with PreK-12 schools to bridge the gap between urban and rural through non-formal agricultural and environmental education
• Develop a pilot or partnership for low-income neighborhoods to increase food security by encouraging home and community food production and, perhaps, a community kitchen for processing
• Become the local Urban Agriculture spokesperson and contact on state-wide issues, outbreaks, and disasters related to horticulture and forestry, such as droughts, floods, and agricultural pests
• Identify and build partnerships with local food advocates, farmers’ markets, and food security as well as coordinate and integrate activities with other organizations that currently operate in or have the potential to contribute to this space
• Create programs to support the needs of local organizations, agencies, growers and market managers as relevant to Urban Agriculture while also encouraging and recruiting new commercial fruit and vegetable producers

Urban Agriculture may take place in locations inside the cities (intra-urban) or in the peri-urban areas. The activities may take place on the homestead (on-plot), on land away from the residence (off-plot), on private land (owned or leased), on public land (parks, conservation areas, along roads, streams, and railways), or semi-public land (schoolyards, grounds of schools and hospitals).

The dress code may be casual for onsite work on farms and fields, but you will want to opt for business casual for meetings and other relevant work situations.

Meetings with clients, sponsors, and partners may take place outside working hours. You may have to work over weekends and holidays and travel away from home when the job demands it. Urban Agriculture Specialists may expect to keep the same hours as a farmer, from sunrise to sunset onsite.

Urban Agriculture Specialists are employed by organizations and enterprises interested in exploring the potential of Urban Agriculture not only for food security but also as part of measures to reduce the impact of climate change.

Urban Agriculture Specialists are generally employed by:

• Government Enterprises
• Private Enterprises
• Organizations such as WHO, UN FAO & the World Bank
• Community Agencies
• Non-Governmental Organizations
• Municipal Government Departments

Professional associations and organizations are a key resource for Urban Agriculture Specialists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks great on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as an Urban Agriculture Specialist.

• Uncertainty over the most efficacious methodology, the most relevant scientific data collection, and the most effective analysis instruments
• Government policies regarding land regulation
• Shortage of potable water due to overuse of surface or groundwater as well as an increase in waterborne diseases due to chemical and mycobacterial contamination
• Soil and air pollution due to the inappropriate use of pesticides and fertilizer, leading to an increase in diseases and disorders
• Contaminated food products due to emissions from factories, automobiles, and sewage leaching into the soil

Many schools offer internships, cooperative-education, and other programs designed to provide hands-on experience and enhance employment prospects. Workers who enter the occupation with only a high school diploma or an associate degree must have years of experience in a related occupation during which they develop their knowledge of agriculture or manufacturing processes.

Learning happens through a combination of rigorous technical education and hands-on experience through internships. A bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, plant or animal science, agricultural engineering, or related fields from an accredited college or university is required for a career as an Urban Agricultural Specialist.

An associate degree or a high school diploma will help you enter the profession but you would need to flesh it out with related work experience and on-the-job training.

In any case, a solid background in applied chemistry, biology, physics, math, and statistics is essential for students interested in this occupation. Knowledge of how to use spreadsheets and databases also may be necessary.

Certification demonstrates competency in a skill or set of skills, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three. Voluntary certification is often seen as evidence of an Urban Agriculture Specialist’s personal drive and motivation, giving them a leg up for raises and promotions.

Successful certification programs serve and protect the public welfare by investigating Urban Agriculture Specialists that practice outside of the program’s Code of Ethics. They help a profession secure its future by earning trust and respect.

Career advancement seems most likely in the form of increased remuneration and benefits; a tangible promotion to that of Project Manager may also happen with the acquisition of sufficient experience and expertise.

Candidates with knowledge, experience, expertise, enthusiasm, readiness to learn, and readiness to relocate will have the best job prospects.

Various government regulations outline the types of on-the-job training needed, which varies according to the work environment and specific job requirements.

Consequences of Rapid Urbanization

The rapid urbanization that is taking place goes together with a rapid increase in urban poverty and urban food insecurity. By 2020, the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America will be home to 75 percent of all urban dwellers.

Most cities in developing countries have great difficulties in coping with this development and are unable to create sufficient formal employment opportunities for the poor. They also have increasing problems with the disposal of urban wastes and wastewater and maintaining air and river water quality.

The Role of Urban Agriculture

Small community gardens, urban farms that span several city blocks, and intensive indoor hydroponic or aquaculture facilities are all examples of urban agriculture. This fast-growing phenomenon has the potential to nourish the health and social fabric of communities and create economic opportunities for farmers and neighborhoods.

Urban Agriculture plays an important role in enhancing urban food security which contributes to local economic development, poverty alleviation, social inclusion of the urban poor and women, in particular, the greening of the city, and the productive reuse of urban wastes.

Garden plots can be up to 15 times more productive than rural holdings. An area of just one square meter can provide 20 kg of food each year.

Nearly a third of our greenhouse gas emissions come from food production. The transportation of fresh produce leaves behind a huge carbon footprint and the packaging of fresh produce makes up about 30 percent of plastic consumption worldwide. As an Urban Agriculture Specialist, you will undertake the noble task of teaching people to live a more environmentally sustainable life by illustrating how to grow their own vegetables in an urban environment. You will help make a positive impact, even if it’s a little one, on the attitude and practices of the generations to come!

A venture in Urban Agriculture needs you to do the right homework to save time and money eventually. It has inherent challenges, like distribution, space and production capacity limitations, concerns with neighbors, and financing. By considering the barriers upfront, you’ll have fewer surprises as you get started.