Argentina, the second largest country in South America, has been traditionally recognized as a food producing country. Its human development indicators are high among developing countries, specially its high life expectancy, low malnutrition rate and water and sewerage coverage. However, during 2001 and 2002 the country faced an unprecedented political and economic crisis that resulted in a poverty rate of 60% of the population. As a consequence, an increasing number of people started searching for new activities to generate income and secure food access.

In 2002, building on the farmers organization that existed between 1991 and 1997, the Network started in an informal way, grouping unemployed and poor migrants of low educational level. Nowadays, the Network is going through an interesting process of re-organization and formalization, aiming at a participatory management and a democratic structure. Their more than 300 farmers supply the population with products that are marketed in six local fairs.

Alliances allowed them to build links with government agencies (municipals and national level) NGOs, academic research centres and social organizations. This in turn resulted in more funds from municipal, federal and international sources that helped equip their plots and build two agro industries facilities to add value to their produce. Their strategies combine mobilization to access land –including pacific occupation of land – and the elaboration of proposals for urban agriculture-friendly legislation. On the same token, they are actively involved in the process of participatory planning of vacant land use for agriculture activities.

The Network experience shows that is possible for urban poor to organize and produce, process and market urban agriculture products. This while consolidating innovative participatory local economic development strategies.