Urban Horticulture for Food Secure Cities through and beyond COVID-19

Muhammad Mumtaz Khan,Muhammad Tahir Akram,Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi,Aitazaz A Farooque,Rhonda Janke,Rashad Waseem Khan Qadri

doi:10.3390/su12229592

Abstract

Sufficient production, consistent food supply, and environmental protection in urban +settings are major global concerns for future sustainable cities. Currently, sustainable food supply is under intense pressure due to exponential population growth, expanding urban dwellings, climate change, and limited natural resources. The recent novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic crisis has impacted sustainable fresh food supply, and has disrupted the food supply chain and prices significantly. Under these circumstances, urban horticulture and crop cultivation have emerged as potential ways to expand to new locations through urban green infrastructure. Therefore, the objective of this study is to review the salient features of contemporary urban horticulture, in addition to illustrating traditional and innovative developments occurring in urban environments. Current urban cropping systems, such as home gardening, community gardens, edible landscape, and indoor planting systems, can be enhanced with new techniques, such as vertical gardening, hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, and rooftop gardening. These modern techniques are ecofriendly, energy- saving, and promise food security through steady supplies of fresh fruits and vegetables to urban neighborhoods. There is a need, in this modern era, to integrate information technology tools in urban horticulture, which could help in maintaining consistent food supply during (and after) a pandemic, as well as make agriculture more sustainable.

Highlights

Since the advent of the 21st century, phenomenal changes in human civilization have been witnessed throughout the globe
The variability in weather due to climate change is threatening food production and distribution systems, and a significant number of people throughout the world are suffering from hunger and malnutrition [2,5]
In order to meet and address the research objectives and questions, this review article was divided into the following four main sections: (1) Significant features of urban horticulture; (2) Traditional and innovative cropping systems used in urban horticulture; (3) Modern cropping systems; (4) Smart cities and urban horticulture

Summary

Introduction

Since the advent of the 21st century, phenomenal changes in human civilization have been witnessed throughout the globe. The land around cities is being used for commercial purposes and converted into malls, housing developments, roads, and small and large industrial establishments This trend of population concentration in urban areas has created problems, such as a reduction of farmable land, increased malnutrition, and increased distances to traditional sites for food production [1]. The variability in weather due to climate change is threatening food production and distribution systems, and a significant number of people throughout the world are suffering from hunger and malnutrition [2,5]. This scenario varies within (and between) developing and developed countries of the globe. The reduced availability of fertile land, crop production, and high market prices of agricultural products have limited the food supply [7]

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