Alexander Laarman
Redactie AMS institute
Getting to know prosumers
The term “prosumer", describes someone who grows (part of) their food themselves or actively participates in its creation. In the urban environment prosumption has been going on for generations - think herbs in a window box, the allotment garden, or wild picking (foraging). With interest in this activity growing, not just from individuals but also communities, businesses, institutions and government, the time is right to better understand the prosumer movement.
Focusing on the food-producing urban dweller in Almere, a metropolitan region of Amsterdam, this project aims to discover what motivates the prosumer, what they are producing, and what more can be done to support their food growing ambitions.
A broad first study
To build a picture or a typical prosumer, a survey and interviews with residents of Almere were carried out. A review of the internet, including online shops, determined the range of advice, books and products aimed at prosumers. And two businesses supporting the prosumer way of life were studied: one growing organic fruit trees in the gardens and land “donated” by homeowners; another renting out plots of land in glasshouses to individuals. Taking all this information together, recommendations for urban policies that support prosumption were proposed.
More work to be done
There is a wide range of prosumer to be found in Almere, from individuals growing food in their back garden, through those donating their growing space to “commercial” prosumers, to others renting glasshouse space for year-long production or for growing exotic foods. The primary motivations were the enjoyment the activity of growing and being in a growing space brings, and the satisfaction of being able to put their home-grown food on their own table. There are definitely opportunities for entrepreneurs in this area. And local governments can do more to provide educational material and, especially, space. Further research will focus on better categorization of different prosumers and their needs, ways to increase the prosumer population, and how the prosumer movement in Almere develops over time.
