The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI, pronounced /mʌfiː/) is a nonprofit organization in Detroit, Michigan. It works to support urban farming and promote social justice. MUFI is located in the North End district of central Detroit, where it operates a large area used for many different purposes. The organization also has activities in Woodward Village, a different neighborhood in Detroit.

History

Tyson Gersh and Darin McLeskey, who were students at the University of Michigan, started the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) in 2011. They met during a meeting for The Detroit Partnership, a student group that helps build connections between the university and the city of Detroit.

MUFI’s first project was creating its main site in the North End neighborhood of central Detroit. Since its start, most of MUFI’s work has focused on developing this location.

In 2012, MUFI officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

On November 11, 2016, MUFI shared plans to build the first sustainable urban "agrihood" in the United States. This project builds on MUFI’s work since 2011 at the North End site. The agrihood plan places MUFI’s existing agricultural campus at the center of a larger mixed-use development, with a focus on residential areas. This model is the first of its kind in the United States and shows how MUFI uses urban farming to support education, sustainability, and community efforts. These efforts aim to improve urban neighborhoods, address social challenges, and create a new way to revitalize areas.

Today, the North End site mainly serves as an urban farm and a place for community activities. In the future, MUFI plans to build a community resource center at the site.