Contribution of Urban Agriculture to Food Security, Biodiversity Conservation and Reducing Agricultural C Foot Print

Urban agriculture in Cuba.

By Neeraja Havaligi
Doctoral Candidate (in natural resource management focusing on agrobiodiveristy conservation and climate change.)
AkamaiUniversity
diversityoflife@gmail.com
Paper for the KLIMA 2009 conference in Berlin

Abstract

Urban Agriculture has a definite role in food security in the cities. This paper will explore the extent to which urban agriculture contributes to food security in the cities with examples from different parts of the world. The paper will explore the potential of urban agriculture in biodiversity conservation in urban and periurban areas, its role in reducing the C foot print of agriculture, urban food needs and generation of organic waste. The potential for urban agriculture in securing C credits for the cities will also be explored here.

Introduction

Urban Agriculture encompasses production, processing, and marketing, of vegetables, eggs, meat, flowers and dairy products in urban and peri-urban areas. Achieving food security through a sustainable cycle of local resources including local waste produce is documented from the times of Machu Pichu (Vijoen, et al. 2005).

Urban Agriculture’s importance got a mixed response in surveys conducted for this paper. Responses varied from positive, green thumbs up to remarks such as ‘Urban Agriculture is an absurd illusion’ and that ‘growing critical amounts of food on urban spaces are absurd.” More than ninety percent of respondents in the United States thought that Urban Agriculture is something that is ‘done elsewhere’, as in Cuba or opined that Urban Agriculture does not contribute significantly to food security.

About fifty percent of the total respondents were receptive to ideas of edible landscaping and establishing good linkages with peri-urban farms for reasons ranging from recession, increased awareness of eco-footprint of produce, and based on the desire to be connected to the process of food production.

Researched evidence and reading literature covering climate change, agriculture, and biodiversity conservation suggests that there is not a strong focus on linking Urban Agriculture to critical topics of food security, biodiversity conservation and carbon footprint of agriculture.

Read the complete paper here.

Climate Change and Food Security in Cities

Climate chance and food security in the cities
Fifth Urban Research Symposium 2009

Neeraja Havaligi
Doctoral Candidate
AkamaiUniversity
diversityoflife@gmail.com

Summary:

Rapid urbanization and large scale food production both heavily dependent on fossil fuels are arguably the most significant contributors to climate change. They are also increasingly recognized as potential tools in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Climate change has already affected food production systems leaving loss of crop, grain shortages, and increased commodity price in its wake, all of which undermine food security a fundamental human right. This study establishes that Urban Agriculture is a multipronged tool for adaptation and mitigation to tackle climate change, and is the effective tool to address food security challenges in the cities, educate and reconnect urban and peri urban farms and people to assure food and climate security in the cities.

Read the complete paper here.