8 April 2014: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released a report documenting agriculture within and around 10 major cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Titled, ‘Growing Greener Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean,’ the report explores the status of and ways to promote urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in the region.

The report notes the benefits of UPA related to improved food access for low-income families, as well as income opportunities. In the publication, FAO highlights that UPA offers practices that generally produce food with fewer chemical inputs and fewer natural resources than traditional agriculture. It also highlights the spread of locally-grown farmers’ markets in the region.

Despite these practices, the report underscores the need for national and municipal policies to support UPA, and it describes regional assistance FAO has provided to promote UPA since 1999. The report was released at the World Urban Forum in Medellín, Colombia, which is being held from 5-11 April 2014. [FAO Press Release] [Publication: Growing Greener Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean] [IISD RS Coverage of Seventh World Urban Forum]