Urban Agriculture Expansion: Research Team Details Plan
Urban agriculture holds the promise of decentralizing food sources, offering environmental advantages such as wildlife habitat, and reducing environmental footprints. However, there are knowledge gaps related to the benefits, risks, and social dynamics of expanding urban agriculture.
A recent article in Nature Food, authored by a team of interdisciplinary experts, including a researcher from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, reviews global studies on the pros and cons of urban agriculture. The paper also presents a framework for the scalable advancement of urban agriculture.
Urban agriculture expansion: Research team details plan. Two-thirds of the global population
Chloe Wardropper, an assistant professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and co-author of the study, emphasizes that with over two-thirds of the global population expected to reside in urban areas by 2050, the reliance on imported food in these regions could compromise their resilience.
While increasing urban agriculture holds the potential to enhance sustainability and resilience in urban areas, Wardropper acknowledges the existing uncertainties regarding the best scaling practices and the environmental, health, and equity considerations that must be addressed.
To navigate the future growth of urban agriculture, the team proposes a three-phased framework. The initial phase involves expanding individuals’ interest, knowledge, and access to resources for urban agriculture. Subsequently, the institutionalization phase focuses on transforming rules and providing organizational support for urban agriculture. Lastly, economic and market growth is proposed to support and diversify urban food production.
Wardropper emphasizes that while urban agriculture is beneficial, it is not a universal solution, and maintaining urban-rural connections remains vital for global food security and consumption. She highlights the importance of considering diverse strategies for sustainability and resilience, particularly under the impact of climate change, and notes that urban agriculture could play a crucial role in cities like Miami, where unexpected disruptions to food imports may occur due to extreme weather events.
Read the original article on dailyscience.
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