Strengthening Urban and Peri-Urban Food Systems for Global Food Security

Over 60% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, with rapid urbanization contributing to a growing food insecurity challenge. Currently, 1.7 billion of the 2.2 billion people facing moderate or severe food insecurity live in urban and peri-urban areas. The urban poor experience stunting rates as high as those in rural areas, highlighting a critical gap in current food security policies.

The United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has called for an in-depth analysis of urban and peri-urban (U-PU) food systems to better address this urgent issue. The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) has developed a comprehensive report with action-oriented recommendations to strengthen U-PU food systems in the face of urbanization, climate change, and growing inequality.

This report outlines key strategies to make U-PU food systems more equitable, sustainable, and resilient, aligning with the goals of SDG 2 and other SDGs, including SDGs 1, 10, and 11.