Peri-urban regions can be defined as 'superficial' rural areas that are within the orbit of immediate urban hubs, in other words, areas that surround large population centers. These regions can also be referred to as 'exurban areas', 'the rural-urban fringe' or the 'fringe', they include the transition zones between the outer limits of the commuter belt and the edge of newly constructed suburban areas.
Peri-urban agriculture is generally defined as agriculture undertaken in places on the fringes of urban areas. However, peri-urban agriculture can be described differently depending on the myriad of urban-rural relationships, and the different farming systems within the various cities and contrasting regions around the world. For instance, the focus of peri-urban agriculture in developing countries is primarily concentrated on the relief of hunger and poverty, hence, food security, as for industrialized countries the emphasis is on ecological and social values. There is no universally agreed definition, and usage of the term generally depends on context and operational variables. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines peri-urban agriculture as "agriculture practices within and around cities which compete for resources (land, water, energy, labour) that could also serve other purposes to satisfy the requirements of the urban population."
The term “peri-urban” used to describe agriculture, while difficult to define in terms of geography, population density, percentage of labor force in agriculture, or any other variable, often serves the purpose of indicating areas along the urban-rural continuum. These are places with dynamic landscape and social change and are often invoked in conversations about growth of cities.
Peri-urban agriculture is first and foremost "the production and distribution of food, fiber and fuel in and around cities". Nevertheless the leading "feature of urban and [peri-urban] agriculture which distinguishes it from rural agriculture is its integration into the urban economic and ecological system"
History
The concept of peri-urban has become prevalent as a result of limitations in the dichotomy between rural areas and urban areas. Historically, rural and urban land have been viewed as two separate economic systems with few interactions. Often, these arguments refer to the disappearance and urbanization of rural land. Peri-urban land falls along the continuum of urban to rural land and recognizes links between the two.
Implementation
Urban and peri-urban agriculture is expected to become increasingly important for food security and nutrition as rural land is built up. It is predicted to be particularly key for growing perishable produce accessible to the approximately 700 million urban residents already living in developing countries, especially because most growth is expected to take place in urban areas of developing countries.Carl Johan Lagerkvist, "Economic drivers for urban and peri-urban agriculture" SLU-Global Report, 2014
Urban and peri-urban agriculture tend to differ in their form and their purpose. "Urban" usually refers to small areas such as vacant plots, gardens, balconies, containers within cities for growing crops and raising small livestock or milk cows for own consumption or sale in neighbourhood markets. Peri-urban farming more often consists of units close to town which operate intensive semi- or fully commercial farms to grow vegetables and other horticulture, raise chickens and other livestock, and produce milk and eggs.
Peri-urban livestock production is often based on small ruminants such as goats and sheep, which occupy less space than cows and bulls, are subjects of virtually no religious taboos, can provide both meat and milk, and generally reproduce at two to three years old.
Benefits Peri-urban agriculture provides environmental benefits by preserving or creating urban open space in city edges where green space may be threatened by expanding urbanization. In addition to aesthetics, preservation and creation of green space has positive climatic effects including augmenting carbon sequestration, reducing the urban heat island effect, and providing a habitat for organisms. Peri-urban agriculture may also help recycle urban greywater and other products of wastewater, helping to conserve water and reduce waste.
Ecosystem services Urban and peri-urban agricultural systems can improve urban environments through provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are "the benefits human populations derive from ecosystems". Through the use of vacant lots and open spaces in urban and man-made environments, urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) contribute to the increase of ecosystem services in these otherwise low providing areas. Additionally, urban and peri-urban agriculture may prevent the extension of agriculture in rural areas, therefore, allowing the preservation and protection of threatened ecosystems and their ecosystem services. Also, the increase of food production capacity in urban and peri-urban areas allows the decrease of the conversions of non-agricultural land to farmland. Moreover, the level of degradation or revitalization of ecosystem services depends on whether an agricultural system is being managed in a sustainable way. For agricultural sustainability is not only about agricultural production but also about managing the landscapes surrounding the agricultural activities. Some of the ecosystem services provided by urban and peri-urban agriculture are inter alia, wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, temperature regulation, carbon sequestration, water filtration and flood prevention, cultural information, and recreation.
Supporting Urban and peri-urban agriculture zones are key drivers for sustainability and urban biodiversity. Biodiversity favors resilience by supporting and mitigating the negative impacts of the built environment by hosting a diversity of fauna and flora. Also, small urban and peri-urban managed systems have higher quality soil formation than agricultural soils, because of the regular inputs of organic matter, such as composts and manures.
Regulating High levels of air pollution are present in urban centers which can have negative effects on human health, therefore urban and peri-urban agriculture can help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) through carbon storage and carbon sequestration. Furthermore, urban and peri-urban systems contribute to regulating temperatures in cities, in fact, evapotranspiration from urban and peri-urban agriculture can reduce the effects of urban heat islands.
Provisioning The production of local food contributes to food security and food safety, by shortening the supply chain and reducing transportation.
Cultural Alongside supporting and regulating ecosystem services, urban and peri-urban systems have a cultural and traditional value, some consider urban and peri-urban agriculture as a form of leisure, whereas other as a way of maintaining and perpetuating cultural and traditional agricultural practices.
Multifunctionality Peri-urban agriculture is multifunctional. "Multifunctional agriculture" refers to agriculture beyond its primary role of producing food and fibre, but as also having other functions. The key elements of multifunctionality are commodity and non-commodity outputs. Commodity outputs are food and fiber, as well as marketable products such as tourism. Non-commodity outputs include, food security, food safety, environmental protection, biodiversity, and a rural way of life.
Also, the concept of multifunctionality is based on the idea of sustainable development, it aims at integrating the information over time and the geography of land uses and functions beyond its traditional function of food production, to include nature conservation, hydrological balance, aesthetics and recreation. According to OECD, "beyond its primary function of supplying food and fiber, agricultural activity can also shape the landscape, provide environmental benefits such as land conservation, the sustainable management of renewable natural resources and the preservation of biodiversity, and contribute to the socio-economic viability of many rural areas".
Social In developing countries, besides the question of food security, one significant social dimension of peri-urban agriculture, specifically around production sites, is the rebuilding of communities and civil society.
Studies have shown that urban gardening and farming, particularly when done in a community setting, have positive effects on nutrition, fitness, self-esteem, and happiness, providing a benefit for both physical and mental health.Sarah Wakefield, Fiona Yeudall, Carolin Taron, Jennifer Reynolds, Ana Skinner, "Growing urban health: Community gardening in South-East Toronto" Health Promotion International, 2007
Closely related to health is food security, or dependable access to adequate and nutritious food. Urban gardening may be an opportunity for the urban poor to produce food for themselves or to sell their products for income, adding to income security.Marielle Dubbeling and Henk de Zeeuw, "Multi-stakeholder Policy Formulation and Action Planning for Sustainable Urban Agriculture Development" RUAF Foundation, 2007 Localized agriculture can also improve resilience by ensuring that there will be a more certain food supply in times of shortage, instability, and uncertainty. Indeed, peri-urban agriculture can be advantageous because of the proximity of production to the consumer. Particularly, the fresh fruits, vegetables and local foods that are available for communities and neighborhoods that live in food deserts.
In addition, residents who share a plot of land may benefit from social interaction and recreation with others.Peng J, Liu Z, Liu Y, Hu 1, Wang A, "Multifunctionality assessment of urban agriculture in Beijing City, China" Science of the Total Environment, 2015 Agriculture is often an effective strategy for poverty reduction and social integration of disadvantaged groups, with the aims of integrating them into the urban network, providing a decent livelihood, and preventing social problems such as drugs and crime."Profitability and sustainability of urban and peri-urban agriculture" Food and Agriculture Organization, 2007
Environmental In many urban areas peri-urban agriculture reduces the environmental impacts of urban expansion by serving as an ecological buffer. Unlike traditional farmers, peri-urban professionals have greater conscious of the ecological value of the environment.
Moreover, local production and consumption of foods reduces the consumption of energy due to shorter transportation distances, less packaging and processing, and greater efficiency in production inputs. Likewise, the recycling of urban waste into compost and waste water for irrigation conserves energy. Peri-urban systems, can also contribute to biodiversity conservation through the integration of native species, as well as modify positively urban micro-climates by regulating humidity, providing shade and regulating the wind.
Comparatively to conventional food systems, the limited use of energy in peri-urban agriculture reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has lower impacts on global warming.
Economic