This document summarizes research on urban agriculture and food production in Bristol, England. It discusses how social movements in Bristol have created over 100 grassroots food projects and established a Food Policy Council to democratically govern the local food system. The researchers analyzed social media, interviewed key actors, and observed projects to understand how these initiatives build a sense of community and commoning around food. Their conclusions discuss how this movement challenges the limitations of the contemporary food system and debates new frameworks for civic participation around food production beyond consumerism.

1. URBAN AGRICULTURE:
CHARTING THE NEW
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE
OF FOOD PRODUCTION
Matt Reed, Dan Keech & John Powell

2. Context
Food networks in Bristol
Food Policy Council
“Who Feeds Bristol”
100+ projects
Green Capital
Protest/dissent
Limitations of the
contemporary food system
Linking of the urban form to
civic life

3. Theory
Castells (neo-Weberian)
Social movements & citizenship
DNA – Digitally Networked Activism
Commons theory –
Bollier – Commoning
Hess – Internet as commons

4. Methods
Corpus of social media
’Snapshot’ - 230
webpages, 16,000
tweets across 24
accounts
Interviews with key
actors
Observational data
Triangulation of that
data.

5. Keywords
Importance
location, (Bristol)
positive tone
(love/good/great)
the immediate
(just/now)

6. Celebration
Breaking Bad? No Breaking Bread. Great little film on bread
making in Knowle West. (RT@LiquoriceHazel)
‘PocoBristol was created by […]. The “festival city” vibe of
Bristol and in particular Stoke’s Croft made them feel right
at home’. (Bristol Pound 21st Feb)

7. Utopia
It’s going to be a serious business blessing the orchard. …Upholding a fine pagan
tradition, the future apple crop is in our hands. There will be toast in the trees for
Scamp the robin… cider will be poured on the roots… Mummers will enact their play
in a circle of fire.’ (Ethicurian 2nd January).‘
‘…an absolute utopian dream and all of us kept rubbing our eyes. Children ran and
played, chickens clucked, adults gossiped and exchanged tips and old people
rested in the shade of the communal buildings or under the many varieties of apple
and pear trees that covered the plot. The focus was more on the social side than
food production with flowers mixed with veg.’ (BFPC 3rd November).

8. Valuing the land
‘We try and engage as many people with the land as we can
through workshops, educational visits and volunteering. We
believe that connecting with the land in this way is inherently
good for you…’ (Community Farm April).
‘It was fabulous to be reminded (again) of how much people love
and value this place.’ (Windmill Hill City Farm 16th December)

9. Action !
‘At 7pm hungry DO-ers startng walking in and the food was
distributed out. Success! Everyone was fed, but the DO-ers being
great people that they are, there was a huge movement of people
to do the clearing up’. (FCB 15th April)
‘Let’s do this! Now is the time, this is your call to arms – your
community garden needs you.’ (GHCG 31st August)

10. Results
Desire for localised control of food in its complexity
Collective idea of the city - Bristol rather than …
Contestation of space - food as proxy/route
Limits of the state - municipal state’s autonomy
Space for debate

11. Discussions
Co-governance - Morgan
It is a movement
Commons as the goal – though term not used
Limiting and limitations of the existing institutions
Overlaying of commons – internet/city/food

12. Conclusions
Next steps of a movement
Institutional change and changing institutions
Limitations of the current food debates – 'scaling
up’
New frames for food debates - consumerism vs
participation
Post-capitalist citizenship?

13. WWW.CCRI.AC.UK @CCRI_UK
Dr Matt Reed
mreed@glos.ac.uk
@ReedMtweet
Dr Dan Keech
dkeech@glos.ac.uk
Dr John Powell
jpowell@glos.ac.uk