New Bedford Urban Agriculture Initiative Planning Project

Client:  Southeastern Massachusetts Food Security Network
Date : Phase 1- Dec. 2015-2016 /  Phase 2: 2016 - current
Location : New Bedford,  MA
Key Collaborators: Southeastern MA Food Security Network / City of New Bedford
Funding Source: Southeastern MA Food Security Network / Partners for Places

The Growing New Bedford Community project is a community based design and planning effort focused on expanding the reach and impact of community gardens and urban agriculture within New Bedford, MA.  The scope of project includes: outreach, research, education and community organizing through a collaborative planning and design process. This process strives to establish commitment from residents, organizational partners and the City of New Bedford.

The main goal of this project is to help stakeholders across the city to recognize and harness existing local resources, designing a source-to-distribution process for increased food security through an urban agriculture initiative. This creates “a situation in which all community residents can obtain a safe, culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self-reliance and social justice.”  Through education, community organizing, research and design , we continue to advance this project with the Southeastern MA Food Security Network.

See Phase 1 Planning Report Below:

Community Design Session Highlights: