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Agricultural PotentialFrom Foodsystems[edit] Neighborhood Agricultural PotentialWest Oakland has enormous latent potential in the form of vacant lots. This Agricultural Potential Prototype Study is a visualization tool, meant to demonstrate the productive potential of West Oakland’s vacant land. I identified three block types in the neighborhood: first, those that are >50% vacant; second, those that are 25-50% vacant; and third, those that are <25% vacant. For study areas representing each block type, I categorized land according to its use (front yard, back yard, building, vacant, etc), assigned an ease-of-conversion factor to each land type, and creating conversion diagrams, which may be thought of as agricultural zoning maps, demonstrating the land’s potential. These diagrams could be used to establish Ag Enterprise Zones, or by block associations wishing to build support for new community gardens. This initial study would be followed by detailed site analysis on chosen plots of land. According to estimates by biointensive growers, one acre of land could provide all the fruits and vegetables needed for ten people. If this is the case, Study Area 1 could feed 13 people, and all the vacant lots in West Oakland, a total of 78.6 acres, could feed 786 people.
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