Work

To thrive and endure, regions and the cities within them need a vital local agricultural system that encompasses individual farms, rural communities, stewardship of natural resources and investment in food and agriculture-related infrastructure.

To date, planning and implementation frameworks for sustainable cities and healthy urban places have tended to omit consideration of the urban-edge working lands that play a key role in containing and sustaining cities.

SAGE is fostering deeper understanding about the role of multifunctional regional agriculture and robust, multi-dimensional local food systems as foundational elements for regional sustainability.

We are working to advance urban-edge agriculture as a critical bulwark in the face of climate change and to make agriculture more sustainable, viable and accessible for beginning farmers.

We are helping urban communities become healthier and more resilient by strengthening local food systems and integrating multifunctional agriculture and local food production in regional sustainability efforts.

Using a solutions-based approach, SAGE works collaboratively with our partners in two linked program areas:

 

Urban-Edge Agricultural Revitalization

SAGE’s Urban-Edge Agricultural Revitalization Program recognizes the unique importance of sustainable farming near cities. Work and services include:

– Place-based projects

– Foodshed and agricultural economic viability assessments

– Implementation and business plans

– Toolkits and conceptual frameworks that support and promote sustainable food systems.

 

Urban-Rural Connections

SAGE’s Urban-Rural Connections Program recognizes that urban communities and the rural areas at their edges must work together to create sustainable, resilient and equitable communities. Work and services include:

– Food supply chain assessments linked with city planning, economic development and public health goals

– Public engagement programs that celebrate local food cultures and connect urban residents to nearby agricultural places and the people who grow their food

 

SAGE also provides consulting services to non-profit, government and private clients.