Abstract
Urban agriculture, as a new concept, has been in the service of urban residents for a long time with various functions, including food production and supply, as well as providing recreational opportunities. Today, given the instabilities formed in the social, economic, and environmental dimensions in the world due to the dominance of the modern urban lifestyle, attention to this as an appropriate response to achieve sustainability has gained much popularity among different communities. This article aims to explain the concept of urban agriculture and investigate its role in shaping the environmental landscape of Urmia City through a descriptive-analytical method based on documentary studies, content analysis, and field surveys. The results of this study indicate that, according to existing concepts, the fundamental distinction of this type of agriculture from rural or traditional farming lies in its integration into the urban economic, social, and environmental systems. Based on field studies, the diversity, variety, and position of this type of agriculture are visibly evident in the urban landscape of Urmia and were categorized into micro-scale "agriculture in open spaces of vernacular homes" and macro-scale "urban mulberry gardens." The findings of this study provide a suitable foundation for future efforts to focus on urban agriculture as a replicable model at both micro and macro scales in architecture and urban planning, as urban agriculture is one of the topics that has received less attention in specialized forums, especially in the field of architecture and urban planning in Iran.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Introduction

Today, the quest for sustainable development has led to the creation of various forms of urban agriculture (Yang, Cai, & Sliuzas, 2010). Although throughout history, urban agriculture has traditionally been practiced in cities, with various functions such as food production or leisure activities (Mougeot, 2000). Urban agriculture has economic, social, and environmental dimensions, and its growth has numerous positive effects on urban residents, leading to sustainable urban development (Ruiz, 2016) (Specht et al., 2014). In this regard, this research, considering the importance of urban agriculture in sustainable urban development, seeks to answer specific questions about the concept of urban agriculture, its distinction from traditional or rural agriculture, its role in shaping the environmental landscape of Urmia, and the identification of operational patterns of this type of agriculture in this city. A particularly significant aspect of this research is promoting the role of urban agriculture at both micro and macro urban scales to achieve sustainable development and enhance the environmental landscape.
Materials and methods
This research has a qualitative nature, which has been investigated using a descriptive and analytical approach based on library studies, content analysis, and field surveys to explore the concept of urban agriculture and elucidate its role in shaping the landscape of Urmia.
The methodology of this research consists of two stages. In the first stage, to accurately understand the concept of urban agriculture, library studies were used, and internal and external sources were examined. Primary data were collected and analyzed using the content analysis method. In the second stage, using the field survey method and tools such as observation and photography, the role and significance of this type of urban agriculture in shaping the landscape of Urmia was introduced.
Results and discussion
The common conceptual structures in various definitions of urban agriculture include components such as areas covered, the scale of production and growable spaces, product categorization (food and non-food subsets), types of production systems, purpose of production, and finally, emphasis on the distinction of this type of agriculture from rural or traditional agriculture, that this distinction refers to the integration of this type of agriculture with the economic, social and ecological system of the city.
The city of Urmia, with thousands of hectares of fruit gardens in and around it, has long been known as the garden city, and the city's spatial structure has been such that most of the open urban spaces were used for agriculture purposes. Urban agriculture in this city has been formed at two scales: at a macro scale in the form of mulberry gardens and a micro-scale in the open spaces of vernacular homes within the city. These Mulberry gardens are an important part of the recreational spaces for the residents of Urmia, which, in addition to their cultural and social role, help improve environmental conditions and strengthen the local economy. On a micro-scale, residents of this city have traditionally cultivated small gardens inside and around their homes for a wide range of agricultural activities, such as growing food and growing useful and non-useful trees, which are successful models of integrating agriculture into residential spaces.
Conclusion
The concept of urban agriculture as a multipurpose approach in urban planning and design goes beyond simple agricultural production and, by integrating into urban economic, social, and environmental systems, contributes to achieving sustainable development and improving the quality of life. In the conceptual frameworks of urban agriculture, the emphasis on various micro and macro scales of production and the use of growable spaces such as home gardens, rooftops, vacant lots, and urban farms highlights the flexibility of this system in adapting to diverse urban conditions.
On the other hand, this study identified and analyzed the role of urban agriculture in shaping the environmental landscape of Urmia city at two scales. First, at the macro scale, Urmia's historical and multifunctional mulberry orchards play a key role in the urban landscape, but urban developments threaten their survival. Preserving and revitalizing these gardens can be a fundamental step toward sustainable development. At the micro-scale, productive green spaces in Urmia's residential homes are a successful example of integrating urban agriculture with daily life. Expanding such methods in cities can lead to the creation of greener and more sustainable cities.
In general, urban agriculture in Urmia, with the strengthening of supportive policies, can solve urban challenges and improve the quality of life. This research emphasizes the importance of preserving and developing vernacular urban agriculture patterns and suggests that these patterns be strengthened using local resources and modern technologies in line with environmental protection and sustainable development.