Scales and Narratives of Urban Agriculture in South Korea

Abstract

Background and objective: The scales of urban agriculture need to be assessed and rescaled to implement or achieve its multidimensional functions and values in South Korea. Significant scales and narratives were assessed and rescaled with narratives described in the laws and literatures.Methods: Narratives created from 1980 to 2022 were collected. The definition of urban agriculture, the difference between farmers and urban farmers, and the spatial scales of rural and urban areas were assessed using the scales and narratives in the related laws, plans, research papers, etc. In addition, the multidimensional functions and values that urban agriculture aims for were analyzed.Results: Under domestic laws, urban agriculture is defined as cultivating crops, trees, or flowers, or raising insects within a city for hobby, leisure, study, or experience purposes. Farmers and urban farmers are distinguished based on the purpose of the activity or on whether the agricultural activities are carried out as economic activities. The spatial scale of urban areas where urban agriculture is practiced is not limited to specific administrative districts. The literature defines urban agriculture as all agricultural activities in and around cities and spaces with urban contexts and includes the secondary and tertiary industries. Participants in urban agriculture are the public who participate or want to participate in urban agriculture. The spatial scale of urban agriculture includes urban areas, areas connected to urban areas, and areas in which urban and rural contexts are hybridized. The function and value of urban agriculture have been further expanded compared to the past.Conclusion: The narratives for the re-scale framing of urban agriculture are as follows: urban agriculture is agricultural production activities carried out by the public in urban agricultural spaces, spaces linked to urban agriculture, or spaces with the context of urban agriculture to implement or achieve multi-dimensional functions and values of urban agriculture. In future, it will also include the secondary and tertiary agricultural industries related to urban agriculture.