Can Agriculture really be Urban ?
Traditionally, agriculture has been considered to be a rural phenomenon. However, with more than 50% of the World’s population now living in urban areas, food security has become a key urban priority and traditional supply chains are now being reenvisaged.
Urban centres therefore need to increasingly adapt to become food producers, and not just consumers. Urban agriculture can help cities to achieve greater levels of self-sufficiency in, at least, some of the key food products that its inhabitants consume, whether it’s leafy greens, seasonal vegetables or dairy products.
As a consequence, many large cities, including New York, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Toronto are now prioritising Urban Agriculture as a means of delivering multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This has often meant turning old practice on its head and thinking creatively about transforming previously redundant spaces, such as rooftops, derelict sites and disused buildings.
These locations can then be put to new productive uses. Whilst there will always be a need for traditional rural agriculture, the future of agriculture is definitely also urban.