Food for the Cities

At present more than 50 percent of the world’s population is living in urban areas and it is expected to rise to 70 percent by 2050. This causes an enormous challenge to conventional food production and supply. Food and nutrition security of poor urban populations is and remains at risk as a consequence of the volatility and rapid increases in food prices, natural disasters and climate change effects. This calls for global action.

Building resilient food systems for the future by integrating rural and urban areas and strengthening their linkages – with the involvement of all stakeholders – will benefit both smallholder farmers and the urban poor.

AO and the RUAF Foundation are partnering to build sustainable, resilient and dynamic city region food systems, by strengthening rural-urban linkages.

The programme provides assistance to local governments in identifying and understanding gaps, bottlenecks and opportunities for sustainable planning, informed decision-making, prioritizing investments, designing sustainable food policies and strategies to improve local food systems.

Read more about the Food for Cities Programme