Urban Planning Roles in Responding to Food Security Needs

Abstract

Food security is a daily problem for vulnerable groups of urban citizens in developed countries, who face physical and mental stress and poor health outcomes from limited food choices. They are often unable to change their circumstances through the marginalizing impacts of urban planning policy, regulation, and infrastructure barriers. Local government is often confronted with these impacts and absorbs the responsibility to act "on the ground" in the absence of a coordinated, multilevel institutional response. Health professionals and local government urban planners increasingly collaborate to examine the design of cities and towns to improve food security. Despite increased awareness and the inclusion of food security in some planning strategies, regulation, and decision-making, results

An investigation of the cost of food in the Geelong region of rural Victoria: Essential data to support planning to improve access to nutritious food

“…Prioritising food access interventions for communities outside regional centres is essential. Opportunities exist to work with independent stores to support improved access to healthy food and utilise local government planning powers to support approval and offer incentives for new supermarkets . Intervention studies that measure if competition for healthy food sales impact economic access to food are needed.…”

“…Opportunities exist to work with independent stores to support improved access to healthy food and utilise local government planning powers to support approval and offer incentives for new supermarkets. 17,18 Intervention studies that measure if competition for healthy food sales impact economic access to food are needed. The findings of this work should be interpreted with caution as only supermarkets were included in the study.…”

Addressing Food Security in Constrained Urban Environments

“…Its growing appeal around the world (Yuan et al 2019 ) also reflects government attempts to overcome food safety and land resource issues, while also providing sustainable urban living environments that manage the food security threats posed by rapid urbanization (Shamshiri et al 2018 ). However, in order to better support urban agricultural activities, urban planners need to do more to accommodate the issue of food accessibility in cities (Slade et al 2016 ). Despite some progress being made, many urban areas still experience so-called ‘food deserts’ in which access to healthy food outlets is limited (Slade et al 2016 ).…”

“…However, in order to better support urban agricultural activities, urban planners need to do more to accommodate the issue of food accessibility in cities (Slade et al 2016 ). Despite some progress being made, many urban areas still experience so-called ‘food deserts’ in which access to healthy food outlets is limited (Slade et al 2016 ).…”

Urban Agriculture: Where Urban Pressures Meet City Farmers

“…Many city planners lack experience in agriculturally related fields [13]. While some are making efforts to create new regulations and ordinances that allow for urban agricultural production, many others struggle to understand the purpose, benefits, or potential of agriculture projects within city spaces [13]. A severe lack of communication between project organizers and these city representatives can lead to the inevitable failure of an urban agriculture installation.…”