Urban Agriculture for Improving the Quality of Life

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Dona Pickard, PhD is an Assistant Professor in Sociology at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. She has been studying social capital in rural communities and the social effects of agriculture in urban environments. Her interest in the subject is focused on the potential of urban agriculture to improve the quality of life of urban communities through social cohesion, integration of disadvantaged communities and citizenship empowerment. Apart from coordinating academic research in the field of urban agriculture, Dona Pickard consults other research institutions on the topic, as well as NGOs and the media.

Mariana Draganova, PhD is an Associate Professor at the Department of Stratification, Inequalities and Mobilities, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her main research interests and experience are in the field of rural sociology: land reform, sustainable rural development; rural-urban relations; rural tourism; urban agriculture. As a key expert-sociologist she carries out theoretical and empirical studies and analysis. M. Draganova has coordinated and participated in national and international projects in the field of agriculture and rural development. She coordinated the interdisciplinary project "Urban agriculture as a Strategy for Improving the Quality of Life of Urban Communities".

Galina Koleva, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her research and scientific activities (projects, surveys, analyses, teaching and scholarships) are in the fields of business and entrepreneurship, rural economy and land use, rural-urban relationships and urban agriculture, employment and informal economy. Since her participation in the COST Action Urban Agriculture Europe (2012-2016), her areas of scientific interests have been focused on the socio-economic performance of urban farming; entrepreneurial models of urban agriculture and their role in the economic system and the effects on the urban environment and society as well.

Zornitsa Stoyanova, PhD is an Associate Professor, PhD at the Natural Resources Economic Department at the University of National and World Economy, Sofia Bulgaria. Her scientific interests are in the field of sustainable development agricultural and environmental management, natural resource economy. She is Chairwoman of the Business Faculty General Assembly and Deputy head of the Natural resource economics department. Stoyanova has over 100 publications (books, articles, papers) on the agricultural sector, natural resources, water and environmental management, project and risk management, education etc. Z. Stoyanova is a team member and team leader in more than 25 international, national and university projects.

Albena Nakova, PhD is an Associate Professor in Sociology at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. For more than 25 years, her academic interests and scientific research have focused on the intersection of sociology and social psychology and, more specifically, on the study of problems of social communication and interaction, social representations and attitudes, communities and identities, social inequalities, social cohesion, community building, social capital, as well as the problems of inclusion of ethnic minorities and disadvantaged groups. She has over 90 scientific publications on these issues and has participated in over 30 scientific projects.

Emilia Chengelova is a Professor, Doctor of Sociological Sciences at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her experience is focused on im

Foreword.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Concepts and Methods.- 3. Dimensions and effects of urban agriculture in Sofia.- 3.1. Social Dimensions.- 3.2. Economic dimensions of urban agriculture in Sofia.- 3.3. Ecological dimensions of urban agriculture.- 3.4. Spatial dimensions of urban agriculture.- 4. Conclusions.- 5. Self-assessment tool to measure the potential of a UA initiative to improve the quality of life of urban communities.