Land Take Processes and Challenges for Urban Agriculture: A Spatial Analysis for Novi Sad, Serbia

Abstract

Food security is becoming an increasingly important issue worldwide, and in this respect, urban agriculture has a substantial role. Nonetheless, pressure for agricultural land conversion and fragmentation is highest in peri-urban areas. In order to respond to these challenges, urban farmers use different adaptation strategies and business models, including product differentiation based on geographical indications (GIs). The paper considers land take (LT) issues in Futog, the settlement of the City of Novi Sad, registered as the GI of Futog cabbage, as an illustrative example which reflects the attitude of land use policy and planning in Serbia towards the specific conditions and requirements that growers of GIs have to meet. The purpose of this study is to identify the role of urban land use planning within LT processes and the implications this has on urban agriculture, accordingly. The supporting framework used for quantifying LT in the period 2000–2018 was CORINE Land Cover (CLC), specifically Urban Atlas (UA) datasets for two time series between 2012 and 2018. Since a significant part of agricultural land registered as a GI in Futog was planned for conversion into construction land, the authors conclude that current forms of land use planning in Serbia are not adequate to ensure the protection of either urban agriculture or GIs. Given that there is a clear correlation between GI products and their place of origin, this study recognized the necessary inclusion of all protected agricultural areas, as well as areas with GIs, into legislation binding for land use planning in Serbia, with limitations in terms of new LT.

Diversity of Bacterial Soft Rot-Causing Pectobacterium Species Affecting Cabbage in Serbia

“…Futog, a suburban settlement located in the province of Vojvodina (Serbia), has been known for cabbage cultivation since the 18th century [ 4 ]. However, numerous pests and pathogens currently threaten cabbage production both in Serbia and worldwide, with Pectobacterium species (fam.…”

The Impact of Environmental Regulation on Agricultural Productivity: From the Perspective of Digital Transformation

“…In addition, the long-term abuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has caused serious damage to the agricultural environment and low agricultural productivity [ 5 , 6 ], hindering the sustainable development of agriculture. Therefore, improving the agricultural environment is important in improving agricultural productivity and avoiding a food crises [ 7 ].…”

Poorer Regions Consume More Undeveloped but Less High-Quality Land Than Wealthier Regions—A Case Study

“…In general, the densification trends are in line with the EU policy of sustainable development [8]. However, a negative side effect is a loss of urban greenery with all its positive effects, including broader environmental [43] and social effects, such as recreation and urban agriculture possibilities for inhabitants [28]. Densification should instead take place at the expense of brownfield sites (previously used sites, usually with a lower soil quality) present in every region (a database of brownfields in the Czech Republic can be found at czechinvest.org).…”

“…Remote sensing is a widely used method; however, it does not detect small-scale development [27], including the precise resolution of buildings' uses [23]. Nevertheless, most of the current development on undeveloped land in the EU is small-scale, scattered development [26,28], and growth on undeveloped land most frequently comes in the forms of residential and commercial development [1]. The method is undoubtedly limited to countries with a database of existing or newly built buildings.…”