Integrating Urban Agriculture with Land Use Policy at Neighbourhood Scale: A Mitigation Strategy for Climate Change in Qatar

Abstract

Urban areas widely acknowledge land use policy as a primary strategic planning tool for urban areas,
significantly influencing changing climates. Simultaneously, urban agriculture (UA) has surfaced
and gained recognition as a highly effective mitigation strategy. Food systems, food security, and
urban agriculture are not yet well positioned in Qatar’s land use policy despite existing vulnerability
to food imports and climate change. To cope with the rapid pace of development, land use planners
are under pressure to deliver quick results, with little time and resources available to fill in various
data gaps surrounding UA. This study aims to facilitate changes in land use policy to integrate UA
as a permitted land use that acts as a mitigation strategy for climate change in developed urban areas
in Doha Municipality. A low-rise mixed-use residential neighbourhood, Onaiza, which represents
the typical urban form of suburban Doha is a developed urban area along Qatar’s western coast and
was selected as the case study. A thorough literature review, examination of successful case studies,
and expert interviews determine the challenges and potentials of UA as a permitted land use policy.
The design proposal considers the optimal implementation of land use policy amendments,
incorporating urban planning simulations, subsidies, and other incentives. This study provides a
practical approach for policymakers and urban planners in coastal cities to address the challenges of
climate change and facilitate the incorporation of urban agriculture as a viable and sustainable land
use option in the development plans, zoning regulations, and urban design guidelines, promoting its
mainstreaming into urban planning practice.