Effects of Sustainability Practices on Farm Continuity in Urban Agriculture: From the Creating Shared Value Perspective

Abstract

Urban agriculture is essential in establishing a localized, sustainable food system due to its multifunctional nature in addressing various urban challenges. Despite the recognition that a localized, sustainable food system offers an opportunity to create shared value (CSV), where agriculture generates social and economic value, the impact of environmental and social sustainability practices on farm continuity remains unclear. This paper identifies the impact of sustainability practices on long-term farm development from the perspective of the strategic intentions of urban farmers using a questionnaire survey of 205 urban farms in Japan. Our primary findings are as follows. First, we found that strategic sustainability practices positively impact farm continuity, underscoring the significance of CSV management in sustainable urban farm development. Second, the cluster analysis revealed three strategic groups: socially conscious CSV farms (32.2%), environmentally friendly farms (47.3%), and less sustainable farms (20.5%). Consequently, the socially conscious CSV farms have higher farm continuity than the other groups. For policymakers, promoting awareness of environmentally friendly farms among urban residents and involving diverse stakeholders in supporting less sustainable farms are crucial measures to enhance farm continuity.