About this Research Topic
Population growth, rapid urbanization, climate change, and land use changes have put serious pressure on agricultural growth and thus on food security. Moreover, during a global crisis (e. g. COVID-19) period, the supply chain is often seriously disrupted and people suffer from limited food supply. Local food systems (LFS) refer to locally or regionally produced food mostly on a small scale and selling products directly to consumers may be considered as an important approach to ensure a steady food supply in these situations. Therefore, there is a need for a transition towards more inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems for these circumstances. This transition could help ensure access to safe and healthy food, enhance farmers’ benefits, boost the local economy, reduce dependency on imported food, environment-friendly production, conserve local biodiversity, and help climate change mitigation. The LFS are gaining attention from policymakers, planners, and advocates for benefits that go beyond food production and consumption to include community building, diversified economies, civic engagement, and climate resilience.
In urban areas globally, the LFS can be an alternative type of city-based agricultural production such as community gardens and urban farms where residents can participate by volunteering, joining in farm or garden-based community programs, and as gardeners or farmers themselves. These community gardens or urban farms have a potentially important role to play in achieving several sustainable development goals including reduction of urban poverty (SDG1), health and wellbeing (SDG3), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), climate change mitigation (SGG13), life on land (SDG15), and partnership with different stakeholders (SDG17). As urban agriculture has multiple benefits towards more sustainable food systems, their upscaling needs to be addressed. In many urban regions, policymakers and community-based organizations are investing in urban food systems to create a healthier food landscape and a better understanding of which types of local urban food system activity, actors, and strategies deliver the desired results could help to inform these planning processes.
Research on various forms of urban agriculture such as community gardens, home gardens, urban gardening and their contribution to the local economy, sustainability, and well-being are largely documented from the Global North. There is a paucity of research and documents of various types of urban agriculture in the Global South. The aim of this research topic is to document research findings on urban agriculture as examples of local food systems from across the Global North and South, which would help to disseminate knowledge and the best practices. This Research Topic will focus on the following themes:
• State, history, and future of urban agriculture through the lens of local food systems (LFS) in developing countries of the Global South
• Comparative cases of urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS) across the Global South and Global North
• Functions and pathways of urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS)
• Types and characterization of urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS)
• Contribution of the local food system (LFS) properties of urban agriculture to the well-being of urban people
• Insights, promise, and challenges of understanding urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS) and identifying the ways forward
In urban areas globally, the LFS can be an alternative type of city-based agricultural production such as community gardens and urban farms where residents can participate by volunteering, joining in farm or garden-based community programs, and as gardeners or farmers themselves. These community gardens or urban farms have a potentially important role to play in achieving several sustainable development goals including reduction of urban poverty (SDG1), health and wellbeing (SDG3), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), climate change mitigation (SGG13), life on land (SDG15), and partnership with different stakeholders (SDG17). As urban agriculture has multiple benefits towards more sustainable food systems, their upscaling needs to be addressed. In many urban regions, policymakers and community-based organizations are investing in urban food systems to create a healthier food landscape and a better understanding of which types of local urban food system activity, actors, and strategies deliver the desired results could help to inform these planning processes.
Research on various forms of urban agriculture such as community gardens, home gardens, urban gardening and their contribution to the local economy, sustainability, and well-being are largely documented from the Global North. There is a paucity of research and documents of various types of urban agriculture in the Global South. The aim of this research topic is to document research findings on urban agriculture as examples of local food systems from across the Global North and South, which would help to disseminate knowledge and the best practices. This Research Topic will focus on the following themes:
• State, history, and future of urban agriculture through the lens of local food systems (LFS) in developing countries of the Global South
• Comparative cases of urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS) across the Global South and Global North
• Functions and pathways of urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS)
• Types and characterization of urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS)
• Contribution of the local food system (LFS) properties of urban agriculture to the well-being of urban people
• Insights, promise, and challenges of understanding urban agriculture as local food systems (LFS) and identifying the ways forward
Keywords: Local food, Urban farms, Farmers, Transitioning food systems, community gardens, Global South, Global North
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