Rouzbeh Nazari, Ph.D., Photography: Lexi Coon
Community food access and the urban agriculture landscape in Birmingham will be improved by a $1 million grant awarded to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Sustainable Smart Cities Research Center.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the United States Department of Agriculture selected the project from over 150 applications to catalyze local food supply chain development through a cross-functional alliance and economic investment.
In collaboration with the City of Birmingham, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Southern Research, NRCS and other community partners, the groundbreaking project aims to create a sustainable and equitable local food supply chain by identifying community needs, markets for urban agriculture and potential agriculture sites.
Rouzbeh Nazari, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Engineering and director of the SSCR, and Maryam Karimi, Ph.D., assistant professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health, will serve as the principal investigators.
Nazari believes the proposed work offers a unique opportunity to strengthen research collaborations and community relationships within Birmingham.
Maryam Karimi, Ph.D.,
Photography: Steve Wood“Through this cross-functional alliance, we can collectively improve food access, enhance policy implementation and create economic opportunities while meeting our sustainability objectives,” Nazari said.
Karimi says this project is a significant step forward in improving community food access and sustainability.
“By working closely with community leaders and leveraging existing successful programs, we can ensure the ongoing success of urban agricultural projects in Birmingham while empowering local residents and creating a more equitable food system,” she said.
The research team aims to create a sustainable and equitable local food supply chain by identifying community needs, markets for urban agriculture and potential agriculture sites. The project will seek to enhance policy implementation, create economic opportunities, and meet sustainability goals by leveraging a collaborative and data-driven approach.