Last updated: March 2025
The model farm is a small-scale organic vegetable farm according to the principle of a "market garden", meaning little machine use is required [1]. More than 40 different vegetables were grown in an effective growing area of 720 m2, using principles of regenerative agriculture promoting soil health [Ref. 4, 6]. An important outcome is sustainably producing vegetables for schools and care homes in the municipality [Ref. 1-3]. The initial vision was to "showcase both the farming and business model behind a sustainable and successful small-scale farming enterprise" and drive the "integration of regenerative farming practices in the continuous evolution of urban and rural multifunctional landscapes" [Ref. 4, 6]. The model farm offers education and cooperates with a local college [Ref. 1, 6]. The model farm is part of the Climate-KIC SATURN project which aims to reconnect urban and rural areas and address the climate crisis through sustainable food production [Ref. 1, 5, 7].
Angered model farm from above, showing the growing beds and parts of the farm buildings.
Source: Region Västra Götaland. (n.d.). https://www.vgregion.se/f/naturbruk/utveckling-och-innovation/projekt/modellodlingen-angreds-gard/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
- Horticulture
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: agriculture
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
- Food scarcity / security
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Soil degradation and loss
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Agriculture/ crop production
- Rapid urbanization
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Disconnection from nature
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of areas for food production (community gardens, allotments), Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Sustainable use of natural resources to improve livelihoods and food security (eg. community- based wildlife or forest management), Educational and awareness raising programs
Project objectives
- Establish a highly productive small-scale farm unit [Ref. 4, 6]
- Produce vegetables sustainably and provide them to local schools and care homes [Ref. 1-4]
- Offer education on sustainable farming practices [Ref. 1, 7, 8]
- Establish a blueprint and guidance for future urban farming initiatives, including detailed data on creating a market garden [Ref. 4, 6, 7]
- Reconnect urban and rural landscapes [Ref. 5, 7]
- Enabling the farm to continue being active year-round, after the end of the initial project [Ref. 4, 6]
Implementation activities
1. A "city-farmer" was employed to establish an organic vegetable farm (model farm) on a former pasture [Ref. 1, 8].
2. Vegetables were delivered to public schools and care homes in the city, while also prodiving visits learning opportunities for students [Ref. 1, 4, 7-8].
3. The model farm cooperated with a local college (Angereds folkhögskola) to offer professional education for adults in farming and outdoor environment management [Ref. 1, 8].
4. The farming operations continued over three years during which management practices were thouroughly documented, allowing for the creation of a market gardening guide (Ref. 6), aiming to aid other cities and actors to implement similar urban farms [Ref. 1, 4, 6, 7].
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Improved agricultural practices for improved food security and prevention of food scarcity
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
- Marginalized groups: Children, young people or youth groups , Elderly people, Refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project is owned and run by the City of Gothenburg (local government/municipality) which employs the farmer and owns the land. The regional government (Region Västra Götaland) leases the farm for educational activities and provides some of the practical management. A local college (Angereds folkhögskola), which is run by a non-profit organisation, is responsible for additional education offered at the farm [Ref. 1, 3, 6].
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
NBS research project (e.g., H2020, Urban Living Labs, national research projects)
Financing
Total cost
€100,000 - €500,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public regional budget
- EU funds
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Expected increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Expected reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Achieved increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Achieved increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Other
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Achieved increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Expected increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Achieved increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Economic impacts, High maintenance costs
References
1.
Berg, M. (2019). Modellodling på Angereds gård. City of Gothenburg, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Styregård, P. (2022). LJUSET PÅ: Cirkulär stadsodling – Modellodlingen i Angered. White Guide Sverige, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Andersson, J. (2024). Modellodlingen. Region Västra Götaland, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Hansson, K. (n.d.). Summering av pilotprojektet modellodlingen. City of Gothenburg, [Source link];
5.
Berg, M. (2019). SATURN Climate-KIC. Göteborgs stad, Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Hansson, K. (2022). The model farm: Setting up an educational Market Garden within the public sector. City of Gothenburg, [Source link];
7.
Nikologianni, A., Betta, A., Pianegonda, A., Favargiotti, S., Moore, K., Grayson, N., Morganti, E., Berg, M., Ternell, A., Ciolli, M., Angeli, M., Nilsson, A. M., & Gretter, A. (2020). New Integrated Approaches to Climate Emergency Landscape Strategies: The Case of Pan-European SATURN Project. Sustainability, 12(20), p. 8419. [Source link];
8.
Möller, V. (2019). Det växer så det knakar i Angered. Tidningen Syre, Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link];
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.