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Urban forestry and urban greening in drylands - Improving resilience, health, and wellbeing of urban communities

A background document for the Green Urban Oases Programme









FAO. 2022. Urban forestry and urban greening in drylands - Improving resilience, health, and wellbeing of urban communities. A background document for the Green Urban Oases Programme. Rome.




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    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Green Urban Oases
    Urban forestry and urban greening for improved resilience, health and wellbeing of urban communities in drylands
    2021
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    As a contribution to the new FAO Green Cities programme, the Forestry Division has developed in close collaboration with the Regional Offices in Africa, Asia, and the Near East a new global programme: the Green Urban Oases Programme. The overall objective of the programme is to turn dryland cities into “green urban oases” and strengthen their overall resilience to climatic, health, food, and economic crisis, as well as to reduce the impact of urbanization on biodiversity and the surrounding natural environment. The present flyer is intended to be used to advertise the programme.
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    Document
    City Region Food System Situational Analysis. Colombo, Sri Lanka FAO - Food for the Cities Programme
    Working Document
    2016
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    City region food systems (CRFS) encompass the complex network of actors, processes and relationships involved in food production, processing, marketing and consumption in a given geographical region. The CRFS approach advocates for strengthened connectivity between urban centres and surrounding areas –whether peri-urban or rural– for a fair rural development and well-managed urbanisation. At the same time, it fosters the development of resilient and sustainable food systems, smallholder agricult ure, sustainable rural and urban production, employment, improved livelihoods, and food and nutrition security for all. This report describes the first phase of the city region food system (CRFS) assessment. This phase consists of a descriptive assessment and appraisal of the local context and CRFS, primarily based on the analysis of secondary data, stakeholder interviews and consultations. It provides an overview and description of the local context (including the political and institutiona l environment) and its CRFS. It includes a definition of the geographical boundaries of the CRFS, an overview of its overall structure and characteristics, an analysis of how it functions, stock of baseline information and identified gaps, and, to the extent possible, an indication of general trends and critical issues relevant to increase the sustainability and resilience of the specific CRFS. These key issues will be further examined in the next project phases: in-depth assessment and policy planning phases. The situation analysis builds on secondary data. Secondary data includes information from spatial datasets, statistics, studies, institutional, policy and legal frameworks, and information obtained from local expert knowledge through stakeholder consultations, focus-group discussions and interviews. The Colombo Municipal Council, CMC, is the oldest local authority in Sri Lanka, which celebrated its 150th anniversary this year. Historically Colombo city has been the main c ommercial city in Sri Lanka; however recently accelerated modernization efforts have changed the traditional outlook of Colombo municipality. During recent years, Colombo city was heavily invested for its infrastructure development to make the city an urban tourist attraction. Because of the recent developments, Colombo city was ranked as the number one fast growing city in the world in 2015. Align with this modernization, more and more people are attracted to Colombo city and its peri-urban are as for living and as well as for business. According to latest census statistics, there are 2,324,349 people living in Colombo district with a population density of 3438, which is the highest in the country. Remarkably, from the country’s population, one tenth reside in Colombo district. Population in CMC and the population density are 0.65 m, 15000-18000 per sq. km respectively. Further, this population has a complex diversity with respect to their age, ethnic, religious, and income level compo sitions. Therefore, Colombo city probably has one of the diverse and complex food systems in Sri Lanka, which requires vastly different types of foods to feed the large population in a small and congested city. Conversely, there is hardly any agricultural farming and food production in CMC limits, which has created multiple dependencies to food system of the city.
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    Urban Food Environments and Green Spaces
    Improving people’s access to nutritious food and green spaces
    2019
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    Urban dwellers should be able to easily access nutritious food and green public spaces in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. Food-retail environments play a key role in shaping dietary practices. Access to parks and green areas give urban residents space for physical activity, reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases and promoting psychological wellbeing. Urban forests, trees and green spaces also contribute to climate-change resilience. The synergies of healthy food outlets and green spaces are not well reflected in urban planning and action, however. This initiative will assess the distribution of green spaces/green infrastructure and the food outlets in targeted cities to measure their accessibility, as well as their potential as a source of income generation. The results will support the implementation of accessible networks of green spaces and nutritious food outlets that promote physical activity and help people choose foods that lead to a healthier diet.

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