Abstract
Almost 55% of the world population lives in cities which may increase to 70% by 2050. Among global regions experiencing rapid urbanization include Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and others with rapidly growing population. Thus, rapid urbanization in these regions is an important factor affecting food and nutritional insecurity on the one hand and environmental pollution on the other. Not only are these regions the primary driver of urban and peri-urban agriculture, but are also prone to water contamination and air pollution with adverse effects on human health and wellbeing. Thus, judicious planning is important to reducing risks of soil contamination, plastic pollution and issues emerging from cycling of grey and black water and using of compost from city biomass waste. A prudent strategy is to grow 10 to 20% of the food consumed in the urban centers within the city limits by practicing science-based urban and peri-urban agriculture. The ever-growing urban population is also polluting environment, degrading soil and water resources, allocating large resources to import food into the cities, while adversely affecting overall health of the Planet Earth. Modern version of urban and peri-urban agriculture include home gardens, roof top gardens, community gardens, green houses, and sky farming in multistory-glass building used to practice soil-less culture such as aquaculture, hydroponics, and aeroponics. This article also deliberates challenges to adoption of innovative and safe practices of urban and peri-urban agriculture. However, there is a strong need for conducing site or soil-specific research in regard to biophysical and socio-economic factors. The issue of land tenure is among the major barriers related to socio-economic factors and which may need pertinent policy interventions. Innovative research is needed on managing soil health, aimed at reducing risks of contamination by heavy metals (lead, arsenic mercury, chromium, uranium, arsenic etc.). Thus, growing safe and healthy food is a major issue in urban and peri-urban agriculture.