Parisculteurs, the innovative urban farming project in the city of Paris, has issued a call for new proposals. In its fourth “season”, Parisculteurs (a combination of Paris and the French word for “farmers”) has listed the areas of inner and greater Paris that are open for development.
The aim of the Parisculteurs project is to encourage biodiversity and a return to agriculture in cities. Every year, it identifies all areas in the city that are ideal for urban farming and gardening. This year, the broad range of areas, ranging in size from a few hundred square metres to one hectare, includes train station car parks, public gardens, riverbanks, railway sidings, underground car parks, catering college grounds, military barracks, university campuses, residential areas, along with the rooftops of government ministry buildings and institutes.
The call for proposals is open to anyone with ideas relating to urban farming: gardeners, landscapers, farmers, entrepreneurs, architects, residents. The consultation phase is currently in progress and the deadline for submission is 31 May, 2021. Following analysis of the feasibility of the projects from June onwards, the jury will announce the winning projects in September 2021.
What is Parisculteurs?
The Organic Cities Network Europe member, City of Paris, established the Parisculteurs programme in 2016 with the objective of facilitating and accelerating the installation of agricultural projects in Paris. The aim is to find suitable sites – roofs, walls, basements, open spaces – and to offer farmers the opportunity to develop projects directly with Parisians. Since its inception, over 50 projects have been launched and just as many are under development. Paris now has more than 30 hectares of agricultural land on its territory and is a pioneer in this field.
Parisculteurs takes a partnership approach, aiming to mobilise land throughout Paris and sometimes even the metropolitan area. The “Objective: 100 hectares ” Charter currently has 82 signatory partners who have expressed their commitment to the greening and development of urban agriculture. Many of them have proposed sites for the Parisculteurs calls for projects.
