Integrating agrifood systems into urban landscapes

As the challenges of climate change, urbanization and food security and nutrition intensify, cities worldwide must lead the way by becoming greener, healthier and more resilient through bold and sustainable action. 

This was the core message of the First International Green Cities Conference, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UN-Habitat. The technical session was held  on 14 October 2025 at Rome Tre University while the high level segment took place on 15 October 2025 at the FAO headquarters in Rome. 

Since the launch of the Green Cities Initiative (GCI) in 2020, FAO has championed efforts to transition to sustainable plant production systems. Through the City Region Food Systems (CRFS) Programme, and initiatives on urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA), horticulture, and smart farming, FAO supports cities in designing and managing productive green spaces. These efforts help bring agrifood systems closer to urban residents. 

Active since 2014 in over 15 cities across 14 countries, the CRFS Programme helps local governments integrate food and green systems into urban planning — thereby linking land use, food security and nutrition and resilience. 

Cities as new avenues of opportunity 

More than half of humanity now lives in cities, a share expected to rise to nearly 70 percent by 2050, mostly in Africa and Asia. Cities consume around 70 percent of global food, energy and water, while generating most waste and emissions. As they expand, cities often encroach on farmland and natural ecosystems. Yet urban and peri-urban areas also offer new opportunities where farming, green infrastructure and circular bioeconomy solutions can sustain urban life.  

“Agriculture must be seen as a core component of urban green spaces providing not only food but also ecosystem services, livelihoods and social inclusion,” said Chikelu Mba, Deputy Director of the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP), in a keynote address on Innovating with Nature: Urban Green Spaces for Climate-Resilient Cities.  

This notion was complemented by Guido Santini, the CRFS Programme Coordinator at NSP and moderator of the session, as he shared global experiences that demonstrate how planning with a ‘nature lens’ yields both environmental and social benefits.  For instance, in Quito, Ecuador, FAO has helped integrate urban agriculture into the city’s resilience plans, he indicated. In the same vein, in Kampala, Uganda, tree planting and crop cultivation along riverbanks have restored degraded areas, reduced flooding and created new sources of livelihood. And in Antananarivo, Madagascar, such planning strengthened food governance and safeguarded agricultural zones through improved land-use. 

“Together, these experiences show that when urban planning and green space management work in harmony, cities can become more resilient, inclusive and food-secure,” said Santini. 

Innovation for sustainable urban growth 

The conference also emphasized that the future of sustainable cities would be multifunctional green spaces, that would result from  integrating forestry, agriculture and circular bioeconomy principles in plans. Innovation is central to this vision. Through the Smart Farming Initiative, FAO promotes digital tools, precision agriculture and low-cost protected cultivation, thereby empowering youth, women and entrepreneurs to create  jobs and sustainable livelihoods.  

At the High-Level Session of the Conference on 15 October, FAO management further reaffirmed its commitment to scale up the Green Cities Initiative and improve the food security and nutrition and well-being of people in 1 000 cities by 2030.  

Urbanization will shape the future, but the kind of cities we build will determine how that future unfolds. Will they be cities of concrete and congestion, or cities of life, food and nature? The Green Cities Initiative offers a clear path forward. By prioritizing plant production and protection, FAO is helping transform this vision into living, thriving cities that are productive, inclusive, and resilient for generations to come.