Benutzer:ReinhardSchuler/Design for AgroCity

Al Imfeld, a well-known Africa specialist, published the marvellous book "AgroCity - Die Stadt für Afrika - Skizzen einer neuen Urbanität" (= The City for Africa - Outlines of a new Urbanity) shortly before his death in February 2017 - Goal: the city of the future, characterized by comprehensive sustainability.

Imfeld analysed different exploding (mega-) cities in several Sub-Saharan countries. These cities mainly have an administrative and commercial centre, which is often surrounded by slums. Their inhabitants having left their farmland, for a better life in city.

Based on  Al Imfeld's reflections and numerous in-depth discussions and interdisciplinary discussions, an AgroCity concept was developed. This concept continually develops itself during its’ practical implementation.

Introduction

Al Imfeld proposed a new form of cities that  guaranteed a better life for their inhabitants, characterised by a mix of farming and city advantages, employment opportunities, land ownership through cooperative membership, schools, neighbourhood, health care, market, theatre, sports and public traffic.

The AgroCities would grow as cooperatives, surmounting traditional ways of separating a ethnicities and religions and spot a lack of fossil powered vehicles, an eco-friendly bonus to the cities. Two third of food derive from horizontal and vertical farming in AgroCity will be used for trade purposes within the cities and the surrounding  25 km belt, creating economic and market self-sufficiently. Additional income will be generated through traded in crafts, services and natural resources.

Blueprint for an African City,  the late Al Imfelds’ Vision

• Self-constructed cooperative (especially building from waste)
• Participation in provision of nourishment upon initiation
• Primary education implemented by the inhabitants who are guided by various specialists, existence of barter trade
• Basic medical care
• Markets, sports, culture, social and religious life
• Networks within the cooperative

8 regions in friendly competition

Elements of AgroCity

• Cooperative as a basic structure
• All tasks performed by AgroCitizens
• 5‘000 to maximum 10‘000 inhabitants
• Ideal size: at least 4 km2 urban area
• Reception Centre
• Health Centre
• Education: schools
• Hardware store (construction materials)
• Residential buildings
• Vertical & horizontal urban agriculture
• 8 regions in friendly competition - depending on local circumstances such as geographic location etc.
• Decentralized services
  • Energy supply - No fossil fuels
  • Consumable and effluent water management
  • Sewage management
  • Short recycling cycles

Ideal future AgroCity house

Ideal Future-AgroCity-Home

• Single family house with 700 m2 of compound
• Modern building
• Cohabitation of 2 -3 generations
• Bed & Breakfast for students, tourists, friends etc.
• Place for 5-10 people
• At least 8 bedrooms
• At least 2 bathrooms
• Workshop
• Greenhouses
• Small animals

AgroCitizens‘ Rules

• Peaceful cooperation, cultural mix
• Shared responsibility with cooperative self-administration
• Productive urban farmers upon initiation
• Plan and build your own houses
• Education and training for children and adults
• Commitment for the design of tools, products for construction and trade / services

AgroCity Blueprint

• 5‘000 to maximum 10‘000 inhabitants
• Not more 1000 houses
• At least 4 km2 urban area
• Public Administration
• Registration of land and residents
• Cooperatives’ notary public
• Urban farming
• Urban Infrastructure
• Streets, cross roads, squares, meeting places
• Sports
• Hospital, Fire Department, Police, Court, Prison
• Cemeteries
• Solar power, solar cookers and heater
• Consumable and effluent water recycled among 4 families
• Local waste recycling and disposal

AgroCitys’ Steering wheel

• Newcomers receive a free land title as cooperative members, which prioritise female cooperative members; as well microcredit for jump start
• Security, tolerance, mutual acceptance, multicultural, social and economic mix; training and consolidation of the cooperatives board
• Construction of ones’ own house and participating in a craft / service within a year
• Enforcing a fresh start, if members of the cooperative do not fulfil construction / business conditions or move away
• Building with the support of neighbours and permanent local construction trade fairs
• Ongoing technical support through permanent construction trade fair
• Land purchase for the cooperative through licensing, sponsors, refugee repatriation nations
• Attractive for sponsors, researches, tourists, friends and families

AgroCity Economics

• Self-sufficiency- produces its own food according to the seasons and local possibilities
• Innovative - piloting new ways and methodologies
• Self-sustainability – earns its money with production surplus, services and through trade
• Self-generating commerce - provides services (B & B, tourist guides, safaris, performances, shows, festivals, crafts, massages, food etc.)

AgroCity Budget & Financing

• Support: AgroCity Association (ACA), association under Swiss law, for coaching, certification etc.
• Land purchase with license income, state and private funding
• Financing health care, specialist support through telemedicine
• Public urban infrastructure for education, health, fire, police and ambulances
• Continuous monitoring / evaluation, controlling and financial transparency
• Local, national and international sponsoring

AgroCity Offers

• Progressive urban agriculture - green agricultural belt within 15-25 km
• Local, national and international trade
• Services, culture, sports
• Tourism for educative, or recreative purposes
• Water management, erosion controlling, reforestation
• Consumable and effluent water to be recycled in small circles
• Clean air, quietness, prevention and control of wind erosion
• Local building materials and construction from recycling
• Local staple, seasonal and culturally foods, animals and products ( hydroponics).
• Harvest, process and preserve food
• Think tanks, experiments, research, competitions, inventions, international exchange of results
• Afforestation with tree nurseries, seeding with protective fences against erosion and animal biting; fruit trees, mixed cultures, symbioses

Sources, Copyrights, Web link

Al Imfeld, AgroCity – Die Stadt für Afrika. Skizzen einer neuen Urbanität, Rotpunktverlag Zürich, 2017. Al Imfeld, AgroCity, edited by Ueli Dubs, see: www.agrocity.org for free download in English, French, Swahili (Spanish & Arab to follow) The copyrights belong to the AgroCity Association. Web link: www.agrocity.org