Improved rural urban linkages: Building sustainable food systems

Summary

The video addresses the escalating urban population, projected to reach 70% by 2050, and its impact on food systems. It highlights challenges such as food insecurity, socio-economic disparities, and environmental degradation. The script underscores the importance of sustainable urban-rural linkages, emphasizing the role of food systems in connecting communities. It showcases initiatives like the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and local actions in cities like Toronto and Rosario, which are working towards sustainable urbanization. The FAO's Food for Cities program is highlighted for its efforts in developing sustainable food systems, ensuring food security, social inclusion, and ecosystem management.

Takeaways

• 🌍 More than half of the world's population currently lives in urban areas, a number expected to rise to 70% by 2050.
• 🌾 Urbanization poses significant challenges to conventional food production and supply, potentially widening the rural-urban divide.
• 🍎 Food and nutrition insecurity is a concern for both rural and urban residents, who may lack access to sufficient, nutritious, safe, and affordable food.
• 🏡 Social and economic inequality affects access to urban markets for smallholder farmers, and some people cannot afford or access basic food and services.
• 🌿 Environmental degradation and unsustainable practices are prevalent, with inefficient use of natural resources along the food value chain.
• 🔗 Food systems can bridge rural and urban communities, playing a key role in designing balanced and inclusive linkages.
• 🌳 Sustainable urbanization can be achieved by considering land and water use, food production, environmental management, transport, and distribution.
• 🤝 All actors and stakeholders, including farmers, producers, consumers, research institutions, civil society, policymakers, and government officials, need to be involved in decision-making processes.
• 🏙️ International initiatives like the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and the New Urban Agenda guide cities towards sustainability and social justice.
• 🌱 Local actions, such as setting up a compost plant in Sri Lanka or providing training and support to urban farmers in Argentina, demonstrate city efforts to improve food systems.
• 🌐 FAO's Food for Cities program and the RUAF Foundation work globally in city regions to develop participatory action plans addressing local food system priorities.

Q & A

What is the current percentage of the world's population living in urban areas?

More than 50% of the world's population currently lives in urban areas.

What is the projected increase in urban population by 2050?

The number of people living in urban areas is expected to rise to 70% by 2050.

What challenges does the increasing urban population pose to food production and supply?

The increasing urban population will cause enormous challenges for conventional food production and supply, contributing to the divide between rural and urban areas.

What are some of the issues faced by both rural and urban residents regarding food and nutrition security?

Both rural and urban residents often lack access to sufficient nutritious, safe, and affordable food suitable to their diets and local culture.

How do smallholder farmers face challenges in accessing urban markets?

Smallholder farmers often lack access to urban markets due to social and economic inequality.

What is the impact of degraded environmental and natural resources on food systems?

Degraded environmental and natural resources lead to unsustainable practices that do not use natural resources efficiently, affecting the food systems.

How can food systems link rural and urban communities and contribute to sustainable urbanization?

Food systems can link rural and urban communities by addressing land and water use, food production, environmental management, transport, distribution, marketing, and consumption, which concern both urban and rural areas.

Who are the key stakeholders that need to be involved in the decision-making process for sustainable urbanization?

Key stakeholders include smallholder farmers, producers, consumers, research institutions, civil society, policymakers, and government officials.

What is the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, and how does it engage cities?

The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact engages more than 120 cities in building food systems based on the pillars of sustainability and social justice.

What is the role of the FAO's Food for Cities program in addressing urban food challenges?

FAO's Food for Cities program works in city regions worldwide to develop participatory action plans addressing locally identified priorities and key areas of intervention for sustainable and resilient city region food systems.

Can you provide an example of a local initiative mentioned in the script that addresses food system challenges?

In Sri Lanka, the Balangoda Urban Council set up a compost plant in its nearby rural area, which processes municipal solid waste, avoids waste accumulation in the city, and provides organic fertilizer for farmers.