the following is an excerpt….
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Amanda Barker: “Work in Worcester, live in Leicester. Urban agriculture. Have worked on urban agriculture in Main South. Has grown into an industry. Urban farms in almost every major city. Found lack of institutional support. Was laughed at by people in 2009 when I tried to find a plot of land. Have demonstrated it’s possible to generate revenue on a small plot of land without performing miracles. REC has demonstrated passion for this, 60 community gardens in the city. Refugee farmers placed on land I’ve been managing. Will they meet regulatory resistance if they try to sell? Getting out of the way is on the table here today, should be the idea that guides us. People can invest back into the city. I think the city has gotten it right. We have a responsibility to Worcester residents, to each other, to embrace urban agriculture.”
Cotyledon Vegetable Farm 