It is interesting to note that a century or so ago, periurban agriculture and street hawking was an important source of vegetables to a comparatively large proportion of London's population. And allotment gardening in the environs of pre-war Berlin enabled many families to grown their own green food.
Connurbation and rapid population increase in most European cities however, seems to have made perurban agriculture a difficult proposition. However, there are still many large European cities, where it is feasible, and outside Europe street hawking and periurban agriculture remains an important source of fresh food.
I think it might be useful to conduct a survey to ascertain where these practices are still going on, their specific nature, and then one would be able to determine appropriate means of supporting and enlarging them when possible.
In general terms, these might include legal incentives, access to credit on favourable terms, subsidised cost of seeds, fertiliser and appropriate transport etc. Of course, their nature would depend on the local food traditions, climatic conditions, etc.
I think that if street hawking and periurban agriculture are appropriately supported, they would serve as very useful adjuncts to general food security, and may even provide gainful employment to some.
Thank you.
Lal Manavado.
Lal Manavado