Disrupted food supply chains and social inequality in urban areas in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic have increased demand for local and regional food products and interest in urban agriculture as an option for better food security. Experts from the European CityZen initiative cite UN projections that by 2050 over two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities. It is therefore important to ensure that healthy, affordable and sufficient food is available to them. “Local and national governments need to encourage different forms of urban agriculture, from that on balconies and rooftops, to urban private and communal farmland, to supply chain support to markets, to make food accessible to a wide range of consumers,” says a CityZen analysis.
According to a 2018 study cited by experts from 5 European countries, there is the potential to produce 180 million tonnes of food through urban agriculture worldwide. This is equivalent to about 10% of global fruit and vegetable production annually.
CityZen also refers to a 2014 study, according to which, to meet the recommended consumption of 2 vegetables per day per person, one-third of the total area in cities should be available for agricultural use.
“Competition for land in cities will grow – the interests and needs of transport, for building and housing infrastructure, of businesses and those of urban farmers must be aligned. Local authorities and policies need to support urban gardeners regulatorily and financially for greater access to land and vertical space, and to develop the knowledge, best practices and business models for successful and socially relevant urban agriculture. This is one possible solution to the challenges in our lives as a result of COVID-19 – such as travel restrictions, disrupted supply chains and social challenges. We also see this as a step for positive change in the fight against unemployment and climate change, for a better resource-efficient urban environment,” the experts urge.
The CityZen project persists through 2021 with new studies on local urban agriculture initiatives, exchanges of good practices on social entrepreneurship and green business models, and proposals for measures and plans for the sustainable development of urban agriculture with the support of local and national authorities.
CityZen is an initiative of the Applied Research and Communications Fund, launched in 2019 and funded by the INTERREG EUROPE Interregional Cooperation Programme 2014-2020. The project promotes urban agriculture as an opportunity to improve urban areas, new social and business initiatives and is implemented by regional authorities, research institutes and business support organizations from 5 European countries.
For details:
Further information about CityZen can be found on the INTERREG Europe project page.
Information on the website of the Applied Research and Communication Foundation
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Applied Research and Communications Fund
