Urban Food Actions Platform

Food production depends and impacts on ecosystem services and biodiversity, with spillover effects going beyond food. Urban and peri-urban agriculture and food processing can contribute to improving the resilience of territories in the face of climate change, natural disasters and disrupted suppy chains. Urban food consumption can also influence where and how food is produced. 

How can you optimize agriculture production while managing ecosystem services and biodiversity and improving resilience to climate change? Numerous examples are presented, explaining how to implement sustainable urban and peri-urban food production and processing; how these can mitigate the heat island effect, prevent floods, reduce the energy needed for cooling and heating buildings, improve social inclusion, (indirectly) raise awareness on combating food waste, or contribute to better access to healthy, diversified and fresh products. Resources on Urban and Peri-Urban Forestry are also available.

 

Related Resources

Food production and ecosystem management - Academic Literature
This paper investigates the relationship between spatial planning and urban agriculture (UA) – primarily community gardens and market farms – through an equity lens. Significant research has been done on the benefits and challenges associated with UA, focusing on community food security, social justice, and community development; however, the spatial...
(Global coverage)
2017 - Meenar, Mahbubur R.
Food production and ecosystem management - Academic Literature
Urban agriculture (UA) has been identified as having many potential benefits; one is food production in cities for residents lacking good access to fresh, healthy foods. UA in and on buildings (herein referred to as UAB) is particularly interesting for its potential to avoid major challenges to UA, including development...
(Global coverage)
2017 - Bohm, Martha
Food production and ecosystem management - Reports & Case Studies
There has been growing attention paid to urban agriculture worldwide because of its role in making cities more environmentaly sustainable while also contributing to enhanced food access and social justice. This edited volume brings together current research and case studies concerning urban agriculture from both the Global North and the...
(North America)
2017 - Antoinette WinklerPrins
Food production and ecosystem management - Reports & Case Studies
Implementing urban agriculture often requires change in the physical, political, and social-organizational landscape. Beginning with a look at how and why city people grew their own food in the early twentieth century, the contributors to Cities of Farmers examine the role of local and regional regulations and politics, especially the...
(North America)
2017 - Julie C. Dawson, Alfonso Morales
Food production and ecosystem management - Local Policies
ONLY IN FRENCH The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec recognizes the multiple benefits of urban agriculture to society and wishes to contribute to its development through the Urban Agriculture Support Strategy. More specifically, this strategy aims to promote the development of this form of agriculture in order to...
Canada (North America)
2017 - Coll.