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21h ago

Study Reveals Urban Gardens Alone Insufficient for Crisis Food Security

New research provides a framework for cities to integrate urban and near-urban agriculture to sustain populations during catastrophic disruptions.

Research shows that urban gardening could provide 20 percent of food for a mid-sized city.
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Overview

  • A PLOS One study finds urban agriculture can only meet 20% of a median-sized city’s food needs during a global crisis.
  • Feeding an entire city like Palmerston North, New Zealand, would require converting 1,140 hectares of nearby farmland and 110 hectares for biofuel crops.
  • Optimal crops vary by scenario: peas and potatoes for normal climates, and sugar beets, spinach, wheat, and carrots for nuclear winter conditions.
  • The study highlights the risk of global trade disruptions from events like nuclear war or pandemics, which could cripple industrial food systems.
  • The research offers a transferable methodology for cities worldwide to assess food security and enhance resilience planning.