Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) has worked since 1981 to promote urban agriculture in the city of Providence. While we’ve always seen enthusiasm from our neighbors about growing their own food, there has been a recent surge in interest that can best be characterized as a new movement of urban agriculture.

During WWII, Americans started victory gardens as a way to largely minimize the impact of tough economic times on the basic human need to eat. By controlling their food production, families gained invaluable skills that lasted entire lifetimes; skills that educated in social, economic, and environmental spheres. It is expected that over 70 percent of the worlds population will reside in cities by the year 2050,[1] an illuminating projection, rooting for individuals to again take up a victory garden spade and dig in! No matter which way the wind or economy blows, urban agriculture is proving itself to be a self-sustaining solution to the problems facing modern urbanites, who often desire cheaper, better food, but are unsure where or how to begin.

The future of Urban Agriculture, where residents of cities grow their own food, has the potential to:

> increase self-reliance 

>  save money

>  connect us with our immediate environment

>  lower our carbon footprint and personal gas mileage

>  connect us with other food-growing neighbors

>  dramatically improve our individual health

>  educate our children through their increased exposure to nature

>  transform previously toxic industrial sites into beautiful and practical green spaces

If you’re looking for inspiration of how urban agriculture can transform neighborhoods, Southside Community Land Trust’s community gardens, farms, and school gardens provide a shining example. Boarded up and abandoned houses are the norm when walking around Providence’s Southside; foreclosure rates are high in our community, with the total number ranging between 9-13%. The rates of crime, poverty, and pollution are at the highest rates in the city.  In light of the distresses currently facing our neighborhood, and many neighborhoods similar to ours across the nation, it’s amazing that the situation could be resolved by something a simple as food. But, almost thirty years later, SCLT has slowly transformed its community into a place where people are helping themselves and their environment by food growing.

Food growing in our urban environment is one of the best resolutions to building an all-around better system that is economically just, environmentally sustainable, and communally proactive. Rhode Island currently spends $36 million dollars every week importing food from out of state,[2] money that could be saved through localizing the state’s food production and increasing our personal awareness of food production.

The Urban Agriculture Resource Center will provide you with the tools necessary to grow your knowledge at the same time you’re growing your food. And what’s the best way to learn more about good food? Growing it yourself!