A Piece of Land for Every Person
This proposal introduces public–private investment platforms that finance and coordinate the allocation of small cultivable plots of land, either physical or technologically assisted (greenhouses, vertical gardens), to every citizen wherever possible, as a basic right to food production and to direct contact with nature.
The main objective is to strengthen food self‑reliance for families and communities, reducing dependence on long, vulnerable and high‑impact supply chains. At the same time, working directly with soil improves physical and mental health, builds practical skills, fosters social cohesion and restores an active role for each person in caring for their environment. The widespread creation of micro cultivable spaces also helps regenerate depressed urban and suburban areas, increasing green spaces, biodiversity and air quality.
Within the Investment in People axis, each citizen is granted access to a small cultivable space, either a physical plot or a share in shared structures, which becomes a tool for empowerment at both individual and community level. It produces food, practical education, pride and a sense of belonging. Free training programmes, on‑site and online, teach basic agriculture, water management, responsible small‑scale animal husbandry, nutrition and the creation of neighbourhood micro‑cooperatives. In this way, the project invests in human capital, skills and the capacity of people to contribute actively to transforming their own context.
From the Investment in the Environment perspective, networks of small urban, peri‑urban and rural plots support a transition towards agro‑ecological models, reducing the environmental footprint of food through shorter transport distances, less packaging and more seasonal production. In desert and cold regions, where conventional cultivable land is limited, access to a “piece of land” is secured through technical solutions such as greenhouses, indoor vertical gardens, atmospheric water condensers, artesian wells and low‑consumption micro‑irrigation systems.
The investment platform aggregates capital from national governments, local authorities, foundations, ethical investors and citizens, and channels it into territorial projects that create or recover cultivable surfaces. Each local project includes mapping available spaces (public land, rooftops, facades, abandoned industrial plots), installing basic infrastructure (water access, fencing, light greenhouses, irrigation systems) and implementing tools to monitor social and environmental impact.
In highly urbanised countries, the programme can aim at providing 5–10 square metres per person through rooftops, courtyards, vertical gardens and small shared greenhouses, and 20–50 square metres per person in peri‑urban areas by combining ground‑level plots with vertical structures. Ten square metres of intensively cultivated land can roughly produce 30–50 kilograms of vegetables per year, representing about 10–20% of a person’s annual fresh vegetable needs, depending on diet and crop choices. In a city of one million inhabitants, starting with 10% of the population (100,000 people) would require around one million equivalent square metres, with an indicative initial investment of 50–150 euros per square metre for vertical gardens and light greenhouses, meaning 50–150 million euros spread over 5–10 years.
In middle‑income countries, greater availability of peri‑urban and rural land allows for 20–100 square metres per person, with less need for vertical infrastructure but a stronger focus on training and community organisation. With improved techniques such as composting, rotations and efficient irrigation, 20 square metres can cover around 30–40% of a person’s vegetable needs, while 100 square metres can bring a family of three to four people close to self‑sufficiency for fruits and vegetables. Start‑up costs can range between 10 and 40 euros per square metre (simple tools, seeds, light fencing, basic irrigation systems), allowing larger‑scale deployment with relatively modest budgets.
In low‑income hot‑climate countries, water is the main constraint rather than sunlight, so the idea focuses on 10–50 square metres per household with drought‑resistant crops and drip or subsurface irrigation systems that can reduce water consumption by 30–60% compared to traditional methods. Small‑scale atmospheric water condensers or simple rainwater harvesting systems can provide 20–100 litres per day, enough to irrigate 10–20 square metres of low‑water‑demand crops and secure a minimum vital production. Start‑up costs may fall in the 5–30 euros per square metre range, with priority given to local materials, low‑tech solutions and intensive community training.
In low‑income cold‑climate countries, the priority is to extend the growing season and protect crops from harsh conditions. Here, 5–20 square metres per family in protected greenhouses, combined with indoor container or basic hydroponic systems, can significantly improve food security. Low‑cost but well‑insulated greenhouses can extend the productive season by 2–4 months, increasing annual production by 30–50% compared to open‑field cultivation only. Small solar systems of 100–300 watts can power ventilation, efficient LED lighting and pumps for hydroponic setups in 5–10 square metre greenhouses, with start‑up costs of roughly 40–120 euros per square metre, to be supported through cooperative models that share structures and expenses between several families.
Across all these contexts, the platform does more than finance infrastructure: it creates learning and exchange networks. Experiences from a European city can inspire solutions for a Saharan village, and techniques developed in cold environments can help deal with extreme weather elsewhere. “A Piece of Land for Every Person” thus becomes a global, culturally adaptable proposal that invests simultaneously in people and in the environment, reshaping the relationship between citizens, communities and natural resources.
We have, at the end, remember the effects when the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia distributed or assigned land to citizens: they created a solid self-subsistence platform and created a stronger relationship with the Government and tangible values for the families and future generations.
Why do not re-think this concept in a less ideological and more modern idea?
