Urban Agriculture, Food Insecurity and Sustainability: Proposing urban agricultural land use plans for New York City

Food insecurity and access are real issues surrounding many U.S. cities, with alarming rates in the New York City metropolitan area. Urban agriculture is one of the many applications that begin to address these disparities, which locates food within urban centers and peri-urban regions to connect consumers with producers and add value to lifestyles. Through an evaluation of four different urban agriculture models, the community farm, theoretical model and the comprehensive city-wide plan, my graduate thesis analyzes the potential for implementing a hybrid model in New York City land use plans as a tool for the city to respond to food insecurity, access and agricultural and urban sustainability.