Overview

The numbers of the urban poor are on the increase; at the same time their position has been made more vulnerable by the recent food and economic crises. City authorities need to find innovative strategies to eradicate urban hunger and improve the livelihoods of the urban poor. Urban agriculture provides such a strategy by enhancing access to fresh and nutritious food, and contributing to local economic development and social inclusion of the urban poor, especially women. It also has the effect of greening cities, promoting the productive reuse of urban waste, and reducing vulnerability to climate change. How can policy be developed to include all the relevant sectors and disciplines, including agriculture, urban land use planning, health, waste management, social housing and slum upgrading, and parks and nature management? Cities, Poverty and Food presents the experience of RUAF Foundation and provides valuable insights and guidelines which are essential reading for the staff of municipal authorities, producer groups and community-based organizations; for NGO field workers; university researchers; agricultural extension officers and others who seek to enhance participatory governance, urban food security, urban poverty alleviation and improved urban environmental management.

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9781853397097

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'The wise use of urban agriculture can significantly contribute to urban poverty reduction, as well as enhancing the resilience of cities in a changing climate. Countries as diverse as Ghana, Peru, Sri Lanka and Yemen are harnessing the potential of urban agriculture. This excellent publication offers a practical methodology to promote sound urban agriculture policies and practices.'Rafael Tuts, Chief, Urban Environmental Planning Branch, UN-HABITAT, Nairobi.'This is a must-read for researchers and policy makers interested in food security, food policy and urban planning. RUAF has been leading an international network of researchers into exploring the role of urban agriculture in dealing with challenges of urban poverty and economic development, social inclusion of marginalized groups, waste management, food insecurity and malnutrition and potential impacts of climate change in the global South. A very accessible guide with case studies from Asia, Africa and South America, Cities, Poverty and Food is a do-it-yourself guide for those who are seeking ways to break away from conventional policy solutions to food insecurity. In a world where most of the people are living in urban areas, Cities, Poverty and Food is offering fresh new insights on not only feeding urban populations but, by seeking multi-stakeholder formulations, also democratizing the food system.'Mustafa Koc, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Centre for Studies in Food Security, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada.

Author Information

Marielle Dubbeling is the global coordinator of the RUAF From Seed to Table Programme and was the training specialist in the RUAF Cities Farming for the Future Programme. She is also a senior adviser with ETC Urban Agriculture in the Netherlands. Henk de Zeeuw is the Director of the RUAF Foundation (International Network of Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security) and was the global coordinator of the Cities Farming for the Future Programme. He is also a senior adviser with ETC Urban Agriculture in the Netherlands. Rene van Veenhuizen is the knowledge management specialist of the RUAF From Seed to Table Programme and held the same position in the RUAF Cities Farming for the Future Programme. He is also a senior adviser with ETC Urban Agriculture in The Netherlands.

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