Last updated: November 2024
Maya’s Farm is a small, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) sustainable urban farm located in Phoenix, Arizona, where urban development has limited farmland availability. In 2020 alone, Phoenix lost nearly 200 acres of farmland to urban sprawl, putting farms like Maya’s at risk. The farm faced potential closure until the City of Phoenix intervened, providing funding through the Farm Preservation Program, which established the city's first urban agricultural conservation easement. Maya's Farm strives to inspire a local appreciation for sustainable food and to bring renewed value to local food systems. The farm’s mission is to provide accessible, fresh, locally grown produce to the community while promoting awareness of healthy, sustainable food practices. Through its CSA program, members receive a weekly produce box and have opportunities to come together, honor food traditions, and share stories over locally harvested food. As a CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) certified organic farm, Maya’s Farm is committed to organic practices that exclude GMOs, nurture the soil, foster biodiversity, and innovate growing systems. These methods result in healthy soil and cleaner air, contribute to carbon sequestration, and support critical wildlife habitats. To broaden educational outreach, Maya’s Farm offers several programs that promote sustainable food practices, including its CSA program, an edible classroom series, and a partnership with Arizona State University (ASU). Through this ASU partnership, students gain hands-on experience by participating in daily farm operations. Building stronger community connections is another cornerstone of Maya's Farm’s work. The farm collaborates with local restaurants, farmers' markets, and community groups to expand its impact. Maya’s Farm, ASU, and Arizona Sustainability Alliance launched an agrivoltaics project with solar-shaded crops. (2, 9, 11, 13, 15)
Flowers growing at Maya's Farm
Downtown Farmers Market
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
- Community gardens
- Horticulture
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving physical health
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Sense of community and community engagement
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: agriculture
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable consumption
- Sustainable production
- Food scarcity / security
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Agriculture/ crop production
- Rapid urbanization
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Food insecurity due to disruptions in food production and distribution
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of areas for food production (community gardens, allotments), Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Transformation of vacant land into green spaces, 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
To promote sustainable agriculture by practicing organic and sustainable farming methods, using natural fertilizers, and promoting biodiversity and soil health, while minimizing environmental impact and preserving natural resources.
To provide fresh, local produce by focusing on the production of high-quality, organic vegetables, herbs, flowers, and eggs for the community.
To support community well-being by offering fresh, nutritious food, thereby contributing to the health and well-being of the local population.
To foster environmental stewardship through practices that reduce reliance on pesticides, promote biodiversity and support financial sufficiency by selling the produce
To educate and empower the community by raising awareness about sustainable agriculture, healthy eating habits, and the importance of local food production.
To promote clean air and carbon sequestration (1-5, 7-9, 14-15)
Implementation activities
Phoenix faces a variety of problems such as food insecurity, urban expansion, community education around food practices, access to affordable, healthy food and sustainable agricultural practices (1-5).
To address these issues Maya's Farm has:
1. Employed organic and sustainable agricultural methods, such as: using natural fertilizers, to promote biodiversity and soil health (4, 9).
2. Operated as a CSA program (community supported agriculture), allowing individuals to subscribe to weekly deliveries of fresh produce. This helps ensure a stable market for the farm's products and provides access to local, organic food for the community (3, 15).
3. Offered educational programs such as internships and the Edible classroom series (2, 14).
4. Collaborated with local restaurants, farmers markets, and other businesses to distribute its produce and raise awareness about the farm's mission (5).
5. Secured a conservation easement on its land through the Farmland Preservation Program, ensuring its continued use for agricultural purposes and protecting it from development (8-10).
6. Partnered with the Arizona Sustainability Alliance on the agrivoltaics project (11).
7. Partnered with ASU and the Arizona Sustainability Alliance on multiple educational projects (11).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Improve agricultural practices (e.g. cover cropping, no-till farming, improved manure management) to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and increase carbon storage in soils.
- Improve carbon sequestration through selection of more adaptable species
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Low-income neighborhoods, Urban heat islands, Rural agricultural communities
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Marginalized groups: Children, young people or youth groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Maya's Farm was founded by local Phoenix residents Bridget Bellavigna and Maya Dailey. Supported through its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, the farm provides fresh, organic produce to the community.
The farm collaborates with Arizona State University (ASU) and the Arizona Sustainability Alliance on educational projects promoting sustainable agriculture. Through this ASU partnership, students gain hands-on experience by participating in daily farm operations.
The City of Phoenix supports the farm through its Farmland Preservation Program, which provided funding and placed the farm under conservation.
Additionally, Maya’s Farm partners with NGOs like the Arizona Sustainability Alliance and supplies produce to local Phoenix schools, contributing to community well-being and sustainable practices. The project collaborates with local restaurants, farmers markets, and other businesses to distribute its produce (1, 9, 11, 15)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) (17))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The 2025 Phoenix Food Action plan, the Phoenix Resilient Food System Initiative, and Phoenix Resilient Food System Program (17))
Type of enablers
Change agents (individual with major role influence on launching), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Private funding by citizens
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Membership or entrance fees
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
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Energy efficiency improvements
- Achieved energy efficiency improvements
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Improved soil quality
- Expected improved soil quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Achieved increase in protected green space areas
Economic impacts
- Unknown
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
- Achieved increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Expected increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Maya's Farm (n.d.). About . [Source link];
2.
Maya's Farm (n.d.). Projects . [Source link];
3.
Maya's Farm (n.d.). What We Grow . [Source link];
4.
Maya's Farm (n.d.). What does CCOF Certified Organic Farm mean. [Source link];
5.
Certified CCOF Organic (n.d.). Maya’s Farm, LLC. [Source link];
6.
Nicodemo, A. (2016). Sound Bites: Meet Maya Dailey of Maya's Farm. [Source link];
7.
Central Arizona Land Trust (n.d.). Protected Land Maya’s Farm. [Source link];
8.
O’Brien, H. (2022). Maya’s Farm first to be saved by Phoenix Farmland Preservation Program. [Source link];
9.
Noble, M. (2022). Saving Maya’s Farm. [Source link];
10.
O’Brien, H. (2022). Maya’s Farm 1st to be saved by Phoenix preservation program. [Source link];
11.
KJZZ (2024). A Phoenix farm is making renewable energy while also providing shade for crops. [Source link];
12.
Saria, L. (2016). Maya's Farm Now Offers A 6-Week CSA Program — And It Starts Next Week. [Source link];
13.
Arizona Sustainability Alliance (2023). Planting Solar: Agriculture in the Valley of the Sun. [Source link];
14.
City of Phoenix (n.d.). Phoenix Urban Agriculture Fellowship. [Source link];
15.
Maya's Farm (n.d.). What is CSA?. [Source link];
16.
Good Food Finder (2022). Successfully Placing Maya’s Farmland into a Conservation Easement. [Source link];
17.
Good Food Finder (2021). City of Phoenix Dedicates $9.7 Million to Strengthen Local Food System. [Source link];
18.
Maricopa Association of Governments (n.d.). Arizona Demographics. [Source link];
19.
City of Phoenix (n.d.). Local Food Systems . [Source link];
20.
Arizona State Climate Office (n.d.). The Urban Heat Island. [Source link];
Maya tending to the produce
Downtown Farmers Market
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Maya's Farm
https://www.facebook.com/mayasfarmaz
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.