As cities grow, the demand for food increases, and areas suitable for agriculture diminish. New urban populations seek access to cultivable land, while land values rise as demand for non-agricultural use grows. In emergency situations there is often a need to introduce temporary tenure arrangements, which allow the temporary utilisation of vacant land for food production and livelihood maintenance, as well as for the temporary settlement of the displaced population.

As a starting point for long term improvement, land tenure arrangements for urban food production can be addressed in a land policy that recognises and provides for urban agriculture.

Selected documents

• FAO - NR Newsletter, June 2011
• FAO - SD Dimensions. Institutions - Land reform, 1998
• FAO - SD Dimensions. Approvisionnement et distribution alimentaires des villes, 1997
• FAO - SD Dimensions. Dynamiques foncières et agriculture en zones périurbaines: Eléments pour un débat sur de «nouvelles frontières», 1997
• FAO - SD Dimensions. Desde la ciudad al territorio: La nueva problemática periurbana (Primera parte), 1997
• FAO - SD Dimensions. Dynamiques d'une agriculture periurbaine au Nicaragua : Typologie des systèmes de production de la région de Ticauntepe (première partie), 1996
• UA Magazine no. 11 - Availability, Access and Usability of Land for Urban Agriculture
• FAO/ETC/RUAF electronic conference. Urban and peri-urban agriculture and urban planning, 2000
• UNCHS-General Assembly. Food for the Cities Urbanization, Food insecurity and Urban Management, 2001