SENSE   |  In conversation with our researchers

Meet the Researcher

In this edition: Paris Pencharz

Paris tells us about their PhD research, the challenges they encounter, and their vision on urban agriculture in Europe. Read on to find out what drives them.

Background

Originally from South Africa, I moved to the Netherlands almost five years ago to pursue an MSc and I am now in my third year of my PhD. My academic journey started with a bachelor’s in Biological Science (animal, plant and environmental science) at the University of the Witwatersrand, before moving on to an MSc in Global Environmental Change and Policy at the VU. I am now doing my PhD within the IVM at the VU. My supervisors are Dr Pierre Chopin and Prof Peter Verburg in the Environmental Geography group.

Research

My research focuses on urban agriculture in Europe, as part of a larger project called FoodCityBoost, where my role approaches the subject from an urban land use perspective. Essentially, I am trying to understand where different types of urban agriculture (e.g. community gardens, allotments) are located within cities, and why. For example, examining whether urban agriculture is found more in specific neighbourhoods based on social, demographic and land use variables. From there, we can explore future scenarios of urban development and how these food systems might be distributed. Knowing their distribution helps us and policy makers understand who is benefitting from the ecosystem services involved, and how this could be planned more effectively.

What motivated you to pursue this research topic?

In my bachelor’s I became very interested in urban ecology and evolution (driven by the book ‘Darwin Comes To Town’ by Menno Schilthuizen). After studying conservation and thinking about nature and ecology as a separate entity from our city lives, I found it fascinating to look at nature’s role in our cities and how we interact with it. Thinking about all of this when I walk or cycle in the city makes everyday a bit happier and more interesting.

For my MSc thesis, I worked with Pierre on urban agriculture and foodshed modelling, so this seemed like a natural progression. I also really enjoy the land system science approach, and the GIS and modelling that comes with it.

What is the most surprising or counterintuitive finding or insight you have encountered so far?

This was not necessarily a scientific finding, but rather something I came to realise while engaging with stakeholders. When I began researching urban agriculture, I imagined food production to be the main goal. Once I realised that these initiatives are usually not producing enough food to make a significant difference at the city level, I started to wonder whether we should have more parks than community gardens. However, I now understand that while food is still a defining feature, the main benefits of urban agriculture are social. These initiatives offer a lot more to communities than I originally realised, and do provide important spaces that offer a different niche of services compared to other urban green spaces.

What is the biggest challenge in your research, and how are you approaching it?

This area of research is still relatively understudied, which makes it exciting but also difficult. One of the biggest challenges has definitely been finding data. There are a lot of questions we find interesting and would like to delve into, but a lack of quantitative data holds us back. This is especially the case when it comes to mapping where urban agriculture exists, and also for the outputs and ecosystem services provided by different types of it.

Societal Relevance & Collaboration

I hope that my research helps policy makers attain a better overview of the current situation of urban agriculture and helps them actively plan how they would like it to look in the future. My current research is looking at aspects of justice and how urban agriculture distribution is important in determining who has access to it, and how many people benefit.

So far, I have had some collaboration with the Amsterdam municipality. I am also planning workshops next year with stakeholders in Sofia, Bulgaria and Valladolid, Spain. These will include participatory scenario mapping with local urban farmers, policy makers etc.

What kind of change would you like to see in your field over the next 10 years?

I would like to see more quantitative studies that really test the hypotheses about urban agriculture. There are a lot of assumptions but not enough research to back them up. I also would like urban agriculture to have a proper place in policy (this currently differs per country, but it is usually treated as quite a volatile land use).

Life as a PhD Researcher

What do you enjoy most about being a PhD researcher within SENSE?

Meeting people from different areas of research and universities.

What advice would you give to someone starting a PhD in environmental or sustainability sciences?

I think this would also be about meeting people and making friends. Since our research is largely done alone, I have found it very important to have friends who are also doing PhDs. Even if we do not speak about our actual work, we all have similar experiences and can support each other.

What do you enjoy outside of your research?

I enjoy crafting, reading, going for a walk and getting a delicious coffee with a friend, and being outdoors.