Enhancing Social Resilience in Urban Communities

Abstract

Urbanization is growing in both developed and developing countries. The proportion of the world's urban population is expected to increase to 57% by 2050 from 47% in 2000. More than 90% of future population growth will be in the large cities in the developing countries. In the developing world, Africa has experienced the highest urban growth during the last two decades at 3.5% per year, and this rate is expected to hold into 2050. Projections indicate that between 2010 and 2025, some African cities will account for up to 85% of the population. In 2010, the share of the African urban population was 36% and is projected to increase to 50% and 60% by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Due to this growth in urban population, urbanisation, urban poverty, and food and nutrition insecurity have begun to dominate the development discourse again after years of focusing on rural development. Urban agriculture is becoming a viable solution to the challenges that communities are facing.