Parisculteurs in a nutshell
In 2016, the City of Paris created the Parisculteurs program to facilitate and accelerate the installation of agricultural projects in Paris and in Ile-de-France. The idea is to find sites - rooftops, walls, parking lots, open lots - and to give farmers the opportunity to establish their production in Paris.
Since the creation of Parisculteurs, more than 70 projects have seen the light and just as many are under development. Paris now has nearly 36 hectares of agricultural land within city limits and is becoming a leader in this field. These projects support production, educational and awareness-raising activities, but also training, with a transition role towards agricultural professions, particularly for people not from this environment. These farms also participate, on their own scale, in the Parisian food system and in the fight against food insecurity.
The starting point
In 2013, a study by the Atelier Parisien d'Urbanisme (APUR) determined that rooftops had the potential to accommodate green infrastructure in Paris, including for urban agriculture. Rooftops are urban greening spaces of interest not only for their size, but also because they are not impacted by urban soil pollution, which can constrain the realm of possibility for urban agriculture.
In 2014, urban agriculture projects already occupied approximately 11 hectares in Paris, almost all established by the City of Paris (e.g., educational farms, community gardens). These projects were primarily located in open spaces or lots, whereas agriculture projects on buildings only occupied 0.3 hectares – in this area, everything remained to be done.
Finding sites for agricultural projects, a collaborative approach
Parisculteurs leverages a collaborative approach through partnerships, with the aim of finding sites across Paris, and the broader metropolitan area. The starting point of this partnership approach is the signing of the “100 hectares Objective” Charter in 2016.
Today around thirty public and private partners and 14 local authorities are partners in the process and host Parisculteurs projects.
Parisculteurs public tenders
Public tenders for Parisculteurs consist in identifying and enlisting sites, on land owned by the City of Paris or its partners, and make them available for agricultural projects carried by third-party organizations (non-profits, companies, start-ups, etc.).
The public tender cycle for Parisculteurs includes the search for sites suitable for agricultural projects, site selection, a competitive bidding process to retain an organization capable of carrying out a project that is appropriate, realistic, and adapted to the site, and support in the establishment and management of the project.
This approach allows for the establishment of a great variety of projects, both in terms of their aims (productive, recreational, participatory) and cultivation methods (greenhouse, open ground, underground, etc.).
Going beyond public tenders
In addition to establishing and supporting projects, Parisculteurs also carries out an outreach and communication strategy aimed at landowners, established or future urban farmers, and the general public, in order to raise awareness and provide training opportunities (e.g., workshops on urban agriculture, urban farmer toolbox). This helps strengthen the fabric of similar projects beyond the scope of Parisculteurs public tenders.
The starting point
In 2013, a study by the Atelier Parisien d'Urbanisme (APUR) determined that rooftops had the potential to accommodate green infrastructure in Paris, including for urban agriculture. Rooftops are urban greening spaces of interest not only for their size, but also because they are not impacted by urban soil pollution, which can constrain the realm of possibility for urban agriculture.
In 2014, urban agriculture projects already occupied approximately 11 hectares in Paris, almost all established by the City of Paris (e.g., educational farms, community gardens). These projects were primarily located in open spaces or lots, whereas agriculture projects on buildings only occupied 0.3 hectares – in this area, everything remained to be done.
Finding sites for agricultural projects, a collaborative approach
Parisculteurs leverages a collaborative approach through partnerships, with the aim of finding sites across Paris, and the broader metropolitan area. The starting point of this partnership approach is the signing of the “100 hectares Objective” Charter in 2016.
Today around thirty public and private partners and 14 local authorities are partners in the process and host Parisculteurs projects.
Parisculteurs public tenders
Public tenders for Parisculteurs consist in identifying and enlisting sites, on land owned by the City of Paris or its partners, and make them available for agricultural projects carried by third-party organizations (non-profits, companies, start-ups, etc.).
The public tender cycle for Parisculteurs includes the search for sites suitable for agricultural projects, site selection, a competitive bidding process to retain an organization capable of carrying out a project that is appropriate, realistic, and adapted to the site, and support in the establishment and management of the project.
This approach allows for the establishment of a great variety of projects, both in terms of their aims (productive, recreational, participatory) and cultivation methods (greenhouse, open ground, underground, etc.).
Going beyond public tenders
In addition to establishing and supporting projects, Parisculteurs also carries out an outreach and communication strategy aimed at landowners, established or future urban farmers, and the general public, in order to raise awareness and provide training opportunities (e.g., workshops on urban agriculture, urban farmer toolbox). This helps strengthen the fabric of similar projects beyond the scope of Parisculteurs public tenders.
Our partners
