Food in an urbanised world

What role does the City Region approach have in developing secure and sustainable food systems?

Governments around the world are increasingly concerned with the sustainable provision of food, water and energy security to urban populations.  While the rapid urbanisation of recent times provides us with many opportunities, there is a need for more coordination and cooperation between rural and urban development to ensure the development of secure and sustainable food systems.

Professor Terry Marsden, Director of the Sustainable Places Research Institute has been invited to be participate in the work of the Prince of Wales's International Sustainability Unit (ISU) looking at this issue of urbanisation and food systems. 

Speaking about the recent meeting Terry said: "The International Sustainability Unit convened a meeting to bring together stakeholders from around the world to examine approaches to sustainable urbanisation and resilient food systems, and to highlight the opportunities to drive improvements in food policy and planning at the city region level."

Demographic and social tensions, environmental risks and public health concerns require a more harmonious relationship between rural and urban development.  There is however a general lack of coordination and cooperation on this agenda. The ISU is therefore working with stakeholders to improve international knowledge exchange and leadership, in key global meetings such as the World Urban Forum, and Global Expo (2015) and UNHabitat III. The ISU is also helping to promote economic understanding and city leadership through research institutions and governments, and is working to bring the private and public sector together to advance new funding models for infrastructure.

More information on the work of the unit can be found here: http://www.pcfisu.org/