Food and our cities - Part of the CitiesWork series

Foodtank_Dec_2016.png

Over the last 150 or so years, we have shifted from a predominantly rural existence to an urban one. This has led to a fundamental shift in the way we produce food. Where previously food production was predominantly for the purpose of subsistence, it has now become industrialised and globalised.  

The industrial system of food production is highly dependent on oil as an energy input. To build resilience into the food system, the dependence on oil needs to be reduced. This will have the added benefit of reducing the GHG emissions derived from agriculture.

Food resilience is one of the key cornerstones of urban resilience. Simon Ratcliffe explores some of the elements that make up a comprehensive urban agriculture system. He looks at the approach of the Havana, often regarded as the city with the most developed urban agriculture system.