ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights successful Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture (UPA) practices in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) that have improved food and nutrition security, and specifically increased dietary diversity, and it introduces methods and systems that rely on sustainable production techniques. It decreases dependence on traditional energy sources by promoting conservation agriculture techniques, reduces energy costs related to supplying food long distances from rural areas and promotes renewable energy sources with the aim of stimulating crop production in difficult environments. The chapter focuses on the linkages between food production and availability, food consumption and the effects on nutritional status, and increased purchasing power and food access for poor urban and peri-urban households. It provides sound evidence that UPA activities can be used as a tool to reduce poverty and hunger in urban areas. UPA can generate numerous food and nutrition security benefits for poor urban households, in addition to creating additional employment and sources of income for under-resourced urban families.
