How an Argentine City Turned Its Urban Spaces Into Farms and Markets

When Argentina’s economy collapsed in 2001, many residents of Rosario, the country’s third-largest city, suddenly found themselves unemployed and without food.

Responding to the crisis, the municipal government worked with 700 farming families growing their own food with help from a local NGO. The city expanded the program by dedicating underutilized land to agriculture and encouraging farmers to sell their produce locally. Two decades later, some 30 hectares of Rosario serve as community parque huertas (orchard parks) alongside some 15 hectares of agricultural family gardens that provide food and jobs for impoverished communities.