Food growing in our towns and cities

Investment Rating - The report emphasizes the importance of integrating food into urban development, suggesting a positive outlook for urban agriculture as a sustainable investment opportunity [5][6][7]. Core Insights - Urban agriculture is recognized as a critical factor for enhancing human health and environmental sustainability, with a significant portion of the world's food supply being produced through urban farming [11][13]. - The report identifies key drivers for urban food growing, including sustainability, social cohesion, health and wellbeing, placemaking, and public/private sector collaboration [14][27]. Summary by Sections Foreword - Food is central to urban development and should be integrated into urban projects to enhance community health and sustainability [5][6][10]. Context - Urban farming contributes to sustainability by reducing food transport, promoting local economies, and addressing climate change [11][13]. Toolkit - A standardized approach for developing urban farming within masterplanning is provided, including identifying opportunities, exploring KPIs, selecting typologies, and understanding precedents [18][20][22]. KPI Framework - The report outlines a KPI framework with 25 indicators to evaluate urban agriculture initiatives, focusing on food growing areas, community functions, and environmental impacts [25][26]. Locations, Possibilities, Typologies - Six typologies for urban food development are identified, including market gardens, edible landscapes, private food growing, rooftop gardens, mobile gardens, and community gardens [27][28]. Case Study - The Huerta del Valle Community Garden in Ontario, California, serves as a practical example of urban agriculture, demonstrating its benefits in food access, education, and community engagement [29][31][39]. Insights - Urban farming can enhance civic spaces and foster connections between urban and rural communities, with low management costs and various operational models [52][54].