Food, Agriculture and Cities: Challenges of food and nutrition security, agriculture and ecosystem management in an urbanizing world

The FAO Food for the Cities multi-disciplinary initiative has developed this paper and commissioned complementary technical reports at a time when the complex changes in food and agriculture systems demand a fresh look at the interplay of rural and urban elements and dimensions of food and nutrition security. The principal purposes of this paper are to:

1. Bring together multiple elements for a common understanding of both local and global challenges to address food, agriculture and management of natural resources for health, nutrition and access to food in a context of rapidly growing cities.
2. Identify priorities for implementation of improved rural to urban linkages and partnerships to provide for sustainable food and nutrition security across the rural, peri-urban and urban landscape.
3. Facilitate and support coordinated contributions at technical and policy levels to existing and new partners, including partnerships of administrators in national and local government agencies, civil society including community based organizations, and private sector stakeholders.