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DYRK Nørrebro | an urban agricultural initiative in Copenhagen, Denmark

CATEGORY: ⚐ EN + urban social design + urbanism

picture of the roofgarden at Blågård School by DYRK Nørrebro

 

DYRK Nørrebro |  an urban agricultural initiative in Copenhagen, Denmark

Urban agriculture, or agriculture in the city, is an ‘umbrella term’ that covers activities related to production of food in or on the outskirts of cities. A definition used by UN, UN-Habitat, FAO and other important international research institutions explains it as following:

Urban agriculture is an industry located within (intra-urban) or on the fringe (peri-urban) of a town, a city or a metropolis, which grows and raises, processes and distributes a diversity of food and non-food products, (re-)using largely human and material resources, products and services found in and around that urban area, and in turn supplying human and material resources, products and services largely to that urban area.” (Luc J.A. Mougeot Growing Cities, Growing Food)

The most interesting thing about agriculture in the city is that it is integrated into the city’s own system. It means that it makes use of city resources such as composted waste as fertilizer, excess heat from buildings, a large variety of surrounding actors and their capacities. But most interesting is, that it has a direct contact with customers. Urban agriculture most effectively shortens the path from farm to table, bringing food and people closer together.

pictures of the roofgarden with its mobile raised beds as part of Copenhagens skyline by DYRK

DYRK Nørrebro is an urban farming initiative that works to expand vegetable cultivation in Nørrebro, Copenhagen and creates new urban communities. Nørrebro is one of Copenhagens 10 districts and is a multiethnic society, inhabited by people from all parts of the world. DYRK Nørrebro is a big opportunity for this multi-cultural and some times very devided and troubled district to connect and strengthen the community spirit. It is not only activating the area sustainably and connect with people, but also turns the ‘former conflicted’ image of Nørrebro into positive collective spirit.

Normally we all buy our groceries in supermarkets or other shops and often the goods are produced a long way from where you are living. By using the cityspace of your neighboorhood you shorten the way from farm to table significantly and this is one of the aims of DYRK Nørrebro. Most important for them is, that through vegetable cultivation in town, you can take active action in the long discussions about bad conditions for climate worldwide and they encourage everyone to attend.

Through mobile raised beds and an urban garden DYRK Nørrebro is giving access to kitchen gardens to create local production of vegetables and also focus on sustainability according to the idea of “thinking globally and acting locally”.

DYRK Nørrebros practical work has its roots in a garden center which is currently being established on the roof of Blågård School. Eventually they want to provide a framework for kitchen and flower gardens, beekeeping, soup kitchen, teaching growing lessons, workshops, lectures and harvest festivals and more.

pictures of the growing ‘DYRK community’ at Blågård School by DYRK

The mobile raised beds can be loaned to interested citizens, associations, institutions, cafes and cultural centers in Nørrebro. This way everyone can get started in a small home production of vegetables and herbs at their doorstep or in the backyard but also join the new community on the roof.

Since the initiative has been established in 2010 they have proved that realization of the ideas of food production and urban communities is possible and can have a future. Not only are they providing a local platform for Copenhagens citizens to act “green” and be conscious about the Earth in a scale that is possible and “manageable”, but they also invite you to join the platform as an active part of forming its future and aims.

DYRK Nørrebro is a good example for the growing communities of urban agriculture  worldwide and in the future, we will hopefully all enjoy a more desirable, cheaper and healthier lifestyle within sustainable associations with a high priority of socializing and solidarity within people.

a yard at Vesterbro, Copenhagen by DYRK

More about urban agriculture in Copenhagen:

http://urbanagriculture.dk/ |  A local danish blog telling and sharing all information about urban agriculture in Copenhagen, where to find it and how to be part of the action.

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[…] el proyecto cultiva tus propias verduras del artista Harmen de Hoop esta semana gracias a ecosistema urbano os presentamos un ejemplo real de agricultura urbana en Copenhague: DYRK […]

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