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

Muhammad Mumtaz Khan, Muhammad Tahir Akram, Rhonda Janke, Rashad Waseem Khan Qadri, Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi and Aitazaz A. Farooque
Additional contact information
Muhammad Mumtaz Khan: Department Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Marine Science, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 34, Al-khod 123, Oman
Muhammad Tahir Akram: Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Rhonda Janke: Department Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Marine Science, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 34, Al-khod 123, Oman
Rashad Waseem Khan Qadri: Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi: Department Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Marine Science, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 34, Al-khod 123, Oman
Aitazaz A. Farooque: Department of Engineering School of Sustainable Design Engineering, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A4P3, Canada

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 22, 1-21

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.

Keywords: cropping systems; ecological sustainability; hygienic food; sustainable food supply; urban horticulture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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