ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the main species cultivated in urban horticultural systems. It describes the major plant production systems and practices of urban horticulture. Urban horticulture contributes to strengthening social sustainability and increasing ecological sustainability by transforming wastes, conserving natural resources, preventing soil erosion, and reducing pollution. Urban horticultural farms present a high diversification of the fruits and vegetables produced. Peri-urban agriculture is 'encouraged' in poor countries, because it improves food security of poor households and the urban population's nutritional status. The development of horticultural systems in urban and peri-urban areas is determined by specific opportunities and constraints in the city. In urban or peri-urban areas, the main pollutants of horticultural crops are heavy metals, pesticide residues, and biological contaminants. The case study from Hanoi, Vietnam, is an interesting example of how the horticultural market has evolved dynamically over the years in relation to social, climatic and cultural factors.
