Die Stadt essbar regieren: Eine Analyse der Governance von Initiativen für eine Essbare Stadt mit besonderem Bezug auf Wien

In edible cities, citizens are able to harvest food in public and semi-public spaces. The main goal of edible city initiatives is to transform food systems. These initiatives have become popular in the last years, but have hardly been investigated scientifically. Contrary to community gardens, the City of
Vienna does not substantially support the edible city idea as of yet. Against this backdrop, this article analyses how edible city initiatives emerge, who is creating, supporting or impeding them, how they develop and in which ways they influence the relation between city government and administration
on the one hand, and civil society on the other hand. Based on interviews with actors from city administrations, governments, and civil society, taking into account media reports on edible city in Austria, Germany and France, the article compares constellations of actors, political processes and their outcomes. Case studies are classified and described as governance arrangements between
city administrations/governments and civil society. Edible city initiatives that emerge through joint activities of city administrations/governments and civil society actors have the most significant potential to foster civic action, collective empowerment and the transformation of urban food systems in view of a sustainable foundational economy.