Cities and agriculture: developing resilient urban food systems
The world has been observing a rapid increase in urban population over the past years. With more people living in cities, urbanization has become evident. It is vital to plan and provide for sustainable and resilient food systems. The RUAF publication “Cities and agriculture: developing resilient urban food systems” edited by Henk de Zeeuw (RUAF Foundation) and Pay Drechsel (International Water Management Institute) provides urban planners, specialists, local policy makers and urban development practitioners with an overview of crucial aspects of urban food systems based on up-to-date review of research results and practical experiences in both developed and developing countries.
Urban agriculture – both inside the build-up city and in the peri-urban area – has various functions in the urban system. Its role of providing food to urban populations is often underestimated. Moreover, other functions of urban agriculture include the provision of eco-services, offering opportunities for recreation and enabling synergies (water, energy, CO2, organic wastes) with other urban sectors.
The book contributes to the intensified sharing of research results and policy and planning experiences between different regions and countries, as well as to facilitatating innovation and more effective urban food system research, policy planning and implementation. The authors also hope that this book finds its way to educational institutes that provide training in this field.
