Urban agriculture has been identified as a solution to advance multiple sustainability goals, such as food security, climate and ecosystem resilience, health and well-being, job creation and social equity. However, the effectiveness of urban agriculture, as well as the policy action needed to tap into its potential, are not well understood.
This think piece evaluates to what extent, and in which conditions, urban agriculture can help cities move towards sustainable urban food systems and a circular economy. It also provides an analysis of different types and forms of urban agriculture to help understand their natural resource use implications benefits and trade-offs across multiple sustainability goals, acknowledging local and regional specificities.
There is an accompanying policy guidance document that presents a roadmap for designing “fit-for-purpose” urban agriculture policies, taking into account the interaction between urban and rural systems.