1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Fort-de-France (FUA)
Region
Latin America and the Caribbean
Native title of the NBS intervention
La ferme d'agriculture urbaine integréee de Desclieux
Short description of the intervention
As part of France's New National Urban Renewal Program (NPNRU) and its strategy to enhance urban quality of life, the Urban Integrated Farm in Desclieux was established in 2021, with a particular emphasis on urban agriculture.
This project is implemented by the Centre de Culture Populaire Ypiranga de Pastinha Martinique (CCPYPM or Ypiranga Martinique) in collaboration with the city of Fort-de-France and is located in the socioeconomically disadvantaged Ravine-Bouillé neighborhood. It aims to create a farm on a 2-hectare former military site that previously housed fuel cisterns connected to the French Navy at Fort Saint-Louis. Since falling into disuse in the 1990s, only the reinforced concrete structures remain.
The farm will feature various activities, including a composting zone, a café, a beehive, a botanical trail, a play garden, and areas for crop and animal production. Additionally, it will house a decontamination and materials library and a public living space for community use. Overall, this site aims to serve educational, recreational, and socioeconomic purposes, enriching the local urban ecosystem.
Even though the intervention commenced in 2021 it has encountered several challenges since 2022 due to administrative hurdles. The implementers are currently awaiting temporary authorization to proceed. The primary obstacle remains the development and execution of a comprehensive soil decontamination plan. (Ref 2; 3; 4)
Website of the intervention
https://www.anru.fr/actualites/decouvrez-les-27-premiers-laureats-de-quartiers-…
Principal problems
Land use and Socio-economic change
Agriculture/ crop production
Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods
Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
Disconnection from nature
Poor community engagement
Resource Scarcity and Competition
Food insecurity due to disruptions in food production and distribution
Implementation area characterization
Climate
Tropical (Tropican rainforest, tropical monsoon, tropical savanna)
Ecosystem
Tropical rainforest
Address

Parc de la Ravine
97200 Fort-de-France
Martinique

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary (map-based)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Google Maps, 2024, "Parc de la Ravine", retrieved from (accessed 04.09.2024): https://www.google.es/maps/place/Parc+de+la+Ravine/@14.6094783,-61.0628245,427m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8c6aa7f1935ee6cf:0x782ac6ab4be33de!8m2!3d14.6090878!4d-61.0624542!16s%2Fg%2F11s4z3km5t?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDgyOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
Total area
20000.00m²
NBS area
20000.00m²
Area description
Urban (main city)
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Brownfield site (previously contaminated or derelict land)
Vacant or abandoned land
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2021
End date of the intervention
ongoing
Present stage of the intervention
Ongoing
Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
The Ypiranga Martinique association defines the objectives for the project in Ref 3:
-The development of a local sustainable activity: creating an agricultural production aligned with local ecological characteristics, increasing local access to sustainable, healthy and nutritional diets.
-Conservation of historic traditions: Educating on traditional agroecological farming techniques by providing workshops (e.g. the "créole" garden).
-Socioeconomic function in low-income areas: Generating job opportunities in the social and solidarity economy, and enhancing access to the job market.
-Urban ecosystem: "Renaturalise the city center by creating a 'green lung' and a biodiversity refuge" which restores the ecological function of a polluted site - decontaminating the soil, enhancing accessible green space and generating ecosystem services on a vacant, polluted site.
-Social cohesion: "Revitalise one of the priority neighborhoods of the city policy" - creating social cohesion, fostering community ties and providing new civic opportunities to socially isaloted and heterogeneous populations.
Key Priorities
Social Justice and community
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Environmental quality
Air quality improvement
Soil quality improvement
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Conversion of former industrial areas
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Preservation of historic traditions
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social cohesion
Social justice and equity
Social interaction
Environmental education
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Economic development: agriculture
Employment/job creation
Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
Sustainable consumption
Sustainable production
Implementation activities and NBS focus
Implementation activities
Action 1: Study and work on site decontamination
-The project began in 2021 but the project stalled in 2022 due to several administrative difficulties preventing the sale of the piece of land to city of Fort-de-France for 1 (symbollic) euro. "In 2023, some points have progressed, but as the transfer is still not effective, we have still not been able to resume development of the site", the major sticking point concerns soil decontamination.
-The Regional Directorate of Public Finances asked the research centre 'BURGEAP' for a preliminary analysis of the risks of contamination for the public on the site, revealing that the location of the pollution should not represent an unremediable risk. However, this conclusion will have to be confirmed in 2024, by a study and a complementary management plan, carried out in the spirit of the urban farm project led by CCPYPM.
-An authorisation for temporary use is currently being worked on as an alternative (a one year sublet by the city of Fort de France to CCPYPM).
Action 2: Renovation of existing buildings: fitting out and cleaning the reception buildings, office and toilets, and other small buildings.
Action 3: Development of “sequences”: designing the workshops, botanical trails, design of allotments, accessible green space, cantine, beehive, etc.
Action 4: Acquiring the equipment and materials needed.
Action 5: ANRU engineering and technical support for a period of 3 years.
Action 6: Communication and promotion (Ref 2; 3).
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Creation of areas for food production (community gardens, allotments)
Creation of any other green urban spaces
Ecological restoration of ecosystems
Remediation activities of sites with very poor environmental quality
Transformation of previously derelict areas
Brownfield redevelopment
Transformation of vacant land into green spaces
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Protection of agroecology approaches (agroforestry & silvopastoral systems)
Sustainable use of natural resources to improve livelihoods and food security (eg. community- based wildlife or forest management)
Educational and awareness raising programs
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Community gardens and allotments
Allotments
Community gardens
Amenities offered by the NBS
Playgrounds
Educational or biodiversity trails
Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café)
Other
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
-a composting zone, a beehive, crop space and breeding areas (Ref 3).
Design elements for well-being
None of the above
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Medicinal resources
Regulating services
Air quality regulation
Pollination
Cultural services
Recreation
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Social and community interactions
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Demographics in implementation area
-The implementation area is in the neighborhood of Ravine-Bouillé which is part of the "Périmètre 1: quartiers Ouest" which also regroups the neighbourhoods of Centre Ville, , Terre Sainville, Rive droite, Texaco, Trénelle-Citron and Berges. These are "priority neighborhoods" in the city's development policy which combine concentrations of "social, urban and economic difficulties" that are below the average for Fort-de-France and metropolitan France (Ref 4).
Socio-economic profile of the area
Low-income
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Low-income neighborhoods
Coastal communities
Urban heat islands
Informal settlements or slums
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Specify primary beneficiaries
-The intention is to bring benefits to members of the neighbourhoods of lower socioeconomic status contained in "périmètre 1". Ref 3 also claims that "Desclieux must be open to as many people as possible".
Marginalized groups
Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Vulnerable populations in disaster-prone areas
Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups
The categorisation of "priority neighbourhoods" is based on income: "the method chosen for the identification of new priority neighbourhoods" [...] "identifies areas of urban concentration of low-income populations based on a detailed grid [..] "on the one hand, in relation to the income of the agglomeration in which the district is located and, on the other hand, in relation to the income of metropolitan France" (Ref 4).
Other beneficiaries
Native plant vegetation
Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification)
Public health (e.g. increased physical activity opportunities, reduced stress)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The project is co-designed between the non-profit CCPYPM and the city of Fort-de-France. The project is integrated into the city's new urban policy, it is responsible for obtaining the land from the state and leasing it to CCPYPM. CCPYPM is responsible for planning and implementing the intervention on the site. Most of the project funding comes from the national government agency ANRU in collaboration with its partners. Working groups and technical committees composed of the city of Fort de France, the ANRU, CCPYPM and other stakeholders, met three times in 2023. The Regional Directorate of Public Finances and the research centre 'BURGEAP' (private actor) have helped with the administrative sticking points concerning soil decontamination. The project is also partially financially supported by intermunicipal, regional, national agencies (DEAL, CAF, DRAJES, ADEME, CACEM), the City of Fort-de-France, and the Léa Nature Foundation ( NGO) (Ref 2; 3; 4).
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
National government
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders)
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Taskforce groups
Dissemination of information and education
Uncommon actors ("Missing actors")
Unknown
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
Part of the framework of the New National Urban Renewal Program (NPNRU) (Ref 1). The NPNRU is a national program to level development gaps in more than 450 "priority neighbourhoods". The NPNRU is part of the French government's overarching "City Policy", which was launched again in 2014. The City Policy combines various urban, social, and economic measures to foster inclusion and reduce inequality in French urban areas (Ref 5).
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme/type of the plan
Other
Please specify other national policy instrument
National urban renewal program.
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
"the Desclieux project being included in the city's major urban renewal project" (Ref 3).
Relevant strategy or plan
Urban redevelopment plan
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers & Barriers
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city
Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives.
-2020 “Fertile Neighborhoods” call for projects launched by the ANRU within the framework of the New National Urban Renewal Program (NPNRU) (Ref 1).
-The New National Urban Renewal Program (NPNRU) supports the transformation of four hundred and fifty priority neighborhoods (Ref 1).
Governance innovations: the municipality and the NGO collaborated with a private actor (Burgeap, a network of consulting and engineering firms focusing on environmental and urban development) (Ref. 1)
Governace and decison-making instruments
Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans)
Economic and fiscal instruments (e.g. subsidies or grants, charges or fees, payments for ecosystem services (PES))
Public - private business agreement (e.g. public private collaborations, public-private-partnerships (PPP))
Arrangements for governance cooperation
Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups)
Task forces or commissions (e.g. group of multi-disciplinary experts)
Barriers
-Transferring the property from state hands to that of the city has created unforeseen administrative burdens.
-Working on a brownfield has delayed the implementation of the project because it requires mapping the risks and drafting a decontamination plan which must be evaluated and approved by the relevant authorities (Ref 3).
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
-The project is financially supported by the 2020 “Fertile Neighborhoods” call for projects launched by the ANRU (Ref 1).
-It is also partially financially supported by the Martinican Agency for the Environment, Development and Housing (DEAL), the French Agency for the Ecological Transition (ADEME), the local intermunicipal development agency (CACEM), the City of Fort-de-France, the family allowance fund (CAF), the regional directorate for youth, sports and social cohesion (DRAJES) and the Léa Nature Foundation (Ref 3).
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
N/A
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Public national budget
Public regional budget
Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Donations
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-governance arrangement
An association
Entrepreneurship opportunities
Unknown
Business models
Business models
Risk reduction model
Green education model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Environmental quality
Improved air quality
Expected improved air quality
Green space and habitat
Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Expected increased conversion of degraded land or soil
Enhanced support of pollination
Expected enhanced support of pollination
Description of environmental benefits
-Expected improved air quality:
"Renaturalize the city center by creating a 'green lung'" (Ref 3).
-Expected increased conversion of degraded land or soil:
"The French Navy formerly used it as a hydrocarbon storage area", to adress the pollution "a complementary management plan" will be carried out.
-Expected enhanced support of pollination:
"The planned beekeeping activity is also of great interest to the population" (Ref 3).
Economic impacts
Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Expected increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Expected increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Description of economic benefits
-Expected increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions):
"Developing healthy, local agricultural production while generating jobs" [...] "the creation of jobs in the ESS [social and solidaric economy]" (Ref 3).
-Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation):
"Thanks to the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD)'s 'priming action' grant, we welcomed an intern, seconded by the IRD, from March 1 to August 25, 2023. Marie Blanchard thus worked on an 'Inventory of urban agriculture in an island environment', and studied the case of Fort-de-France and that of Desclieux in particular, allowing a scientific and sociological approach to the project" (Ref 3).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved social cohesion
Expected improved social cohesion
Improved liveability
Expected improved liveability
Improved access to urban green space
Expected improved access to urban green space
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature
Protection of natural heritage
Expected protection of natural heritage
Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Description of social and cultural benefits
-Expected improved social cohesion:
"Revitalize one of the priority neighborhoods of the city policy (QPV), the West district, by creating social cohesion" (Ref 3).
-Expected improved liveability:
"City dwellers will be able to come and recharge their batteries and get closer to nature" (Ref 3).
-Expected improved access to urban green space:
"As for the residents, they hope to see Desclieux as an educational and fun place, providing a green space for walking in the heart of the city" (Ref 3).
-Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature:
"City dwellers will be able to come and recharge their batteries and get closer to nature" (Ref 3).
-Expected protection of natural heritage:
"many activities will be offered on the theme of the Creole garden [traditional ecological farming techniques]" (Ref 3).
-Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging:
"many activities will be offered on the theme of the Creole garden [traditional ecological farming techniques]" (Ref 3)
-Achieved increased support for education and scientific research:
"from March 1 to August 25, 2023. Marie Blanchard thus worked on an 'Inventory of urban agriculture in an island environment', and studied the case of Fort-de-France and that of Desclieux in particular, allowing a scientific and sociological approach to the project" (Ref 3).
-Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature:
"many activities will be offered on the theme of the Creole garden [traditional ecological farming techniques]" (Ref 3).
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Actors involved in the assessment, monitoring or evaluation of NBS impacts
Non-government organisation/civil society
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Type of indicators
Progress indicators
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Link to monitoring/evaluation reports
https://nbsnaturescapes.com/sites/default/files/2024-09/rapport-d-activites-ccp…
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Cost-benefit analysis
Unknown
Transparency
Public disclosure of project funding sources and/or budgets
Online disclosure of technical reports (e.g. project documents, reports, or data)
Justice
Community satisfaction
Unknown
Description of locals satisfaction with the project
-The only mention is made in Ref 3: "As for the residents, they hope to see Desclieux as an educational and fun green space, allowing for walking in the heart of the city. The planned beekeeping activity is also of great interest to the population".
Trade-offs & Negative impacts
Unknown
Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices
No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project
Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement
Unknown
High-quality & Transformative NBS
Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community)
No
Goal setting and impacts delivery
No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas.
Reaching original project goals
Inconclusive as the project is still undergoing implementation, or is still on its planning stages
Please specify the achievements of the project goals
The project is still undergoing implementation, however the below goals are expected to be achieved:
Social justice and community goals:
-Expected improved social cohesion:
"Revitalize one of the priority neighborhoods of the city policy (QPV), the West district, by creating social cohesion" (Ref 3).
-Expected improved liveability:
"City dwellers will be able to come and recharge their batteries and get closer to nature" (Ref 3).
-Expected improved access to urban green space:
"As for the residents, they hope to see Desclieux as an educational and fun place, providing a green space for walking in the heart of the city" (Ref 3).
-Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature:
"City dwellers will be able to come and recharge their batteries and get closer to nature" (Ref 3).
-Expected protection of natural heritage:
"many activities will be offered on the theme of the Creole garden [traditional ecological farming techniques]" (Ref 3).
-Expected increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging:
"many activities will be offered on the theme of the Creole garden [traditional ecological farming techniques]" (Ref 3)
-Achieved increased support for education and scientific research:
"from March 1 to August 25, 2023. Marie Blanchard thus worked on an 'Inventory of urban agriculture in an island environment', and studied the case of Fort-de-France and that of Desclieux in particular, allowing a scientific and sociological approach to the project" (Ref 3).
-Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature:
"many activities will be offered on the theme of the Creole garden [traditional ecological farming techniques]" (Ref 3).
Long-term perspective
Unknown: No information about the project's long-term sustainability.
Cost-effective solutions
Unknown
Equitable impacts
A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project
Transformative capacity
Social change (e.g. social relationships, networks and dynamics within them)
Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution)
Magnitude of change
Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation
Application of lessons learned
Unknown
Perception of Environmental Change
Unknown
References
1.
Agence Nationale pour la Rénovation Urbaine (2020). Découvrez les 27 premiers lauréats de Quartiers Fertiles. Agence Nationale pour la Rénovation Urbaine, Accessed on September 4, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
2.
Agence National pour la Rénovation Urbaine (2020). Annonce des 27 lauréats de la première tranche de l’appel à projets « Les Quartiers Fertiles ». Dossier de presse Accessed on September 4, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
3.
Centre de Culture Populaire Ypiranga de Pastinha Martinique (2024). Rapport d'activités CCPYPM. Accessed on September 4, 2024, [Download];
4.
Ville de Fort-de-France (n.d.). Quartiers Prioritaires de la Ville. Fort-de-France: Accessed on September 4, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
5.
Agence Nationale pour la Rénovation Urbaine (n.d.). Le Nouveau Programme National de Renouvellement Urbain (NPNRU). Accessed on September 16, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
Comments and notes
Public Images
Gate of the intervention
Gate of the intervention
Screenshot from Rapport d’activités 2023 – Association CCPYPM
Site of the intervention
Site of the intervention
Screenshot from Rapport d’activités 2023 – Association CCPYPM