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How this “agrihood” is revitalising Detroit

5 min read

Better Society
Source: Instagram/mufigram

The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative is the first sustainable urban “agrihood” in Detroit and could serve as a model for future urban development.

Michigan Urban Farming Initiative: empowering urban communities

The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative is based in Detroit’s North End community. Their stated mission is to use urban agriculture as a platform to promote education, sustainability, and community in an effort to empower urban communities, solve many social problems facing Detroit, and potentially develop a broader model for redevelopment for other urban communities.

In Detroit, Michigan, “the first sustainable urban agrihood” in the US centers around an edible garden, with easily accessible, affordable produce offered to neighbourhood residents and the community.
MUFI: by the people, for the people In Detroit, Michigan, “the first sustainable urban agrihood” in the US centers around an edible garden, with easily accessible, affordable produce offered to neighbourhood residents and the community. Source: Facebook/MichiganUrbanFarmingInitiative

Could fresh, healthy, affordable food be the future of urban neighbourhood development?

The first sustainable urban “agrihood”, which debuted in Detroit, is the project of the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative — an all-volunteer nonprofit, which seeks to empower urban communities using sustainable agriculture.

The three-acre development has vacant land, along with occupied and abandoned homes centered around a two-acre urban garden, with more than 300 organic vegetable varieties, like lettuce, kale, and carrots, as well as a 200-tree fruit orchard, with apples, pears, plums, and cherries, a children’s sensory garden, and more. According to a spokesperson for the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative, all the vegetables are grown using organic practices, and the only fertiliser the use on the farm is vermicompost (liquefied worm poop).

The nonprofit is also working on other projects that go beyond farming, including:

  • Turning a long-vacant building into a community resource center, which will offer educational programs, event and meeting space for the neighborhood, a nonprofit incubator, and two commercial kitchens
  • Developing a healthy food cafe, and  
  • Restoring a home into student intern housing and an off-grid shipping container.

Other projects to make the place more sustainable include:

  • Installing solar panels,
  • Converting a basement into a water harvesting cistern that will automatically irrigate the garden
  • A public composting toilet, and
  • A retention pond made from the foundation of a blighted home to supply the farm with water.

Source: FoodRevolution.org

Each year, this urban farm provides fresh, free produce to 2,000 households within two square miles of the farm. They also supply food to local markets, restaurants, and food pantries.
The fruit (and veg) of their labour is colourful, plentiful, tasty and nutritious Each year, this urban farm provides fresh, free produce to 2,000 households within two square miles of the farm. They also supply food to local markets, restaurants, and food pantries. Source: Facebook/MichiganUrbanFarmingInitiative

Agrihoods can help tackle food insecurity and other community problems

The concept of agrihoods isn’t new —the Urban Land Institute estimated that about 200 agrihoods had been or were under construction across the U.S. — but this agrihood is unique because it’s the first truly urban agrihood. It plans to operate in a sustainable way, and is more accessible than most other agrihoods.

Agrihoods, also called agritopias or community-supported development, are an exciting concept because they create a remarkable improvement to the dominant food system.

They help tackle food insecurity and other community problems. They make it easy for people in low-income communities to get fresh, healthy food. And they give people a connection with the food they eat, the earth, and each other.

Perhaps other communities will look to this agrihood in Detroit as a model to increase healthy, local food and to solve community problems, like hunger and access to fresh food — all while giving people a greater sense of community and happiness, creating more sustainability for cities, and improving our food system.

You can check out The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative on Facebook or Instagram for more photos, and lots more information can be found on their website.

Source: FoodRevolution.org

Thanks to the help of over 10,000 volunteers who have engaged in over 100,000 of volunteer service MUFI has been able to grow and distribute over 50,000 pounds of produce (grown using organic methods) to over 2,000 households within 2-square miles at no cost to the recipients. The campus itself has become an international tourist destination, receiving thousands of tourists from all over the world each year.
Volunteer-powered urban farm has become a tourist attraction. Thanks to the help of over 10,000 volunteers who have engaged in over 100,000 of volunteer service MUFI has been able to grow and distribute over 50,000 pounds of produce (grown using organic methods) to over 2,000 households within 2-square miles at no cost to the recipients. The campus itself has become an international tourist destination, receiving thousands of tourists from all over the world each year. Source: Facebook/MichiganUrbanFarmingInitiative
Located in Detroit's North End Neighborhood, MUFI's campus is nearly 3 acres large. Within it's footprint, the campus features a collection of projects, each of which are in varying stages of development. Approximately 1/3rd of the campus is dedicated to production farming, another 1/3rd to interactive agriculture, and the remaining 1/3rd to hardscaped space (i.e. structures).
MUFI Urban Ag Campus Located in Detroit’s North End Neighborhood, MUFI’s campus is nearly 3 acres large. Within it’s footprint, the campus features a collection of projects, each of which are in varying stages of development. Approximately 1/3rd of the campus is dedicated to production farming, another 1/3rd to interactive agriculture, and the remaining 1/3rd to hardscaped space (i.e. structures). Source: miufi.org
The three-acre development has vacant land, along with occupied and abandoned homes centered around a two-acre urban garden, with more than 300 organic vegetable varieties, such as lettuce, kale, and carrots, as well as a 200-tree fruit orchard, with apples, pears, plums, and cherries, a children’s sensory garden, and more.
The plot is divided up into distinct areas serving different purposes. The three-acre development has vacant land, along with occupied and abandoned homes centered around a two-acre urban garden, with more than 300 organic vegetable varieties, such as lettuce, kale, and carrots, as well as a 200-tree fruit orchard, with apples, pears, plums, and cherries, a children’s sensory garden, and more. Source: Facebook/MichiganUrbanFarmingInitiative
A chance get their hands dirty, learn some useful skills, and hang around with the other neighbourhood kids is too good an opportunity to pass up.
The scheme is a hit with adults and children alike. A chance get their hands dirty, learn some useful skills, and hang around with the other neighbourhood kids is too good an opportunity to pass up. Source: Facebook/MichiganUrbanFarmingInitiative
How an agrihood is revitalising Detroit’s North End Farmland can spark urban renewal—and it's happening in Detroit. Source: Facebook/Curbed
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