Rural Gentrification or Urban Agriculture? A Case Study on Sirkeli-Ankara

Abstract

Rural gentrification means socio-economic and spatial transformation of rural areas with decrease in productive population, rural activities and agricultural activities. It brings urbanization of the countryside. Expropriation of local people and rural poverty, unemployment, migration of young population, inaccessibility of basic services are important problems of rural areas. Agricultural production and agricultural land, pastures are lost, rural structures began to be abandoned.

In contrast, some urbanites longing for nature, make urban agriculture, urban farming, or urban gardening in rural areas or urban periphery. Urban agriculture is the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around urban areas. Urban agriculture can also involve animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforestry and urban beekeeping. Urban agriculture provides access to nutritious, healthy and safe food. It creates a sense of belonging between urbanites, and farmers in urban-rural space. It also gives a learning opportunity of growing food and makes efficient use of land.

However, land owners have the privilege of altering natural and built landscapes. Inheritance of agricultural land reproduces inequalities. Ownership of agricultural land enables production of symbolic wealth. The migration of middle-class migrants into specific locales changes the locale's physical appearance, social status and socio-demographic composition.

This study aims to put these urban agriculture and rural gentrification paradox with a case study in Sirkeli-Ankara. Sirkeli which was a village turned to neighborhood of Pursaklar district in Ankara. However, the rural activities are still on-going by the villagers and urbanites making urban agriculture. In this context, socio-spatial literature research on rural gentrification and urban agriculture were made. In depth interviews were made with the villagers, urbanites which have weekend houses and making urban agriculture and real estate owners. All kinds of visual and audio material were used to make discourse analysis through multimedia and key highlights are revealed.