The Future of Food in Cities: Urban Agriculture

A food garden at UN headquarters in New York City. Credit: Phillip Kaeding / IPS.By Aruna DuttNEW YORK, Jul 11 2016 (IPS)Habitat III, the UN’s conference on cities this coming October will explore urban agriculture as a solution to food security, but here in New York City, it has shown potential for much more.Record-high levels of inequality are being felt most prominently in the world’s cities. Even In New York City, the heart of the developed world, many urban communities have food security issues.Since the year 2000, New York City food costs have increased by 59 percent, while the average income of working adults has only increased by 17 percent.Forty two percent of households in the city lack the income needed to cover necessities like food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and healthcare but still earn too much to qualify for government assistance.Last year, OneNYC was introduced, a plan specifically aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to lift 800,000 people out of poverty in a decade.“OneNYC has high expectations and they are working hard in terms of addressing equity in the food systems, waste, and making sure that more and more of its citizens have access to good, healthy food.” Michael Hurwitz, director of GrowNYC’s Greenmarket, which has been working on OneNYC, told IPS.“In a city like New York City, urban agriculture can play a number of roles on top of feeding people, from education to safe spaces, and helping...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Aid Biodiversity Climate Change Development & Aid Editors' Choice Environment Featured Food & Agriculture Global Global Governance Globalisation Headlines Health Inequity IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse North America Populati Source Type: news