Peri-urban Agriculture and Food Supply

Abstract

Peri-urban agriculture is defined as agriculture that has been undertaken on the periphery or fringes of urban areas. Agriculture in the peri-urban region is under tremendous pressure due to rapid urban developmental activities. The aim of the study is to analyze the role of peri-urban agriculture in the food supply. The present study has been constructed on secondary data of Delhi and its periphery. The food supply analysis depicts that high calories food is being produced in Delhi and the districts of CNCR due to the subsistence nature of farming in the area. On the contrary, due to high population pressure, acquisition of land, cultivation of remunerative crops, and availability of less net sown area in the area makes them food deficient in kilocalories. The pattern of food and non-food supply in monetary value depicts that very few districts of Delhi-Central NCR have deficit food and non-food supply in terms of money due to two reasons, first, farmers are quitting farming as a profession, and second, farming at subsistence level. Their agricultural produce gives them enough money so that they can buy food or other articles from the market.