Towards a transformative urban agroecology

From its initial emphasis on ecology for the design of sustainable agriculture, agroecology now emphasises the study of the ecology of food systems, including all the elements (environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructures, institutions) and activities that relate to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food, and the outputs of these activities, including socio-economic and environmental outcomes. Agroecology’s focus on whole food systems thus invites urban producers to think beyond their garden plots and consider broader issues such as citizens’ access to food within urban municipalities and the governance of food systems. Urban agroecology is increasingly informed by a vision of food sovereignty which aims to regenerate a diversity of autonomous food systems in both rural and urban areas.