Can Urban Agriculture Sustainably Feed Our Cities? Insights from 100+ Experts Around the World

Growing Greener Futures in Cities

As the world races toward 2050, with 70% of us expected to live in cities, one question becomes critical: how will we feed ourselves sustainably?

A groundbreaking study led by experts from Wageningen University & Research and UNU-MERIT, and with Agritecture’s assistance, offers some answers. Using a global expert survey, the team explored how urban agriculture (UA)  (from low-tech gardens to high-tech vertical farms) could help cities meet the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The verdict? Urban agriculture has big potential but also big challenges.

What is Urban Agriculture, Really?

In the study, UA includes three main types of city-based farming:

• Gardens: community, rooftop, or backyard spaces
• Greenhouses: semi-controlled environments with sunlight for lighting
• Indoor Farms: high-tech, stacked systems using artificial lighting and full climate control (e.g., vertical farms)

These systems vary in technology and purpose — some focus on community-building, others on high yield. But they all share one mission: bring food production closer to urban mouths.

Why This Study Matters

The researchers imagined a bold scenario: What if cities produced 30% of their own food by 2030? This "30 by 30" vision is indeed being pursued in places like Singapore.

To test this idea, they surveyed 108 experts from 31 countries, asking:

• Can urban agriculture help achieve key SDGs?
• Which systems contribute the most?
• Will progress be visible by 2030?

Agritecture played a role in connecting with industry experts and circulating the survey to ensure diversity in responses.

Figure 3 from the study: Countries of residence of participating experts.

Image source: https://whyhunger.org/introduction-urban-agriculture-community-gardens/articles/

Key Findings You Should Know

📊 Most Experts Are Hopeful

• 78% of experts believe UA can positively impact sustainability goals.
• But none of the goals are expected to be achieved by 2030. Change will take time.

🌱 Top Goals UA Can Support

Experts identified the following SDGs as most positively impacted:

1. SDG 2.4: Improve resilience of agri-food systems (88.3%)
2. SDG 12.3: Reduce food waste (85.3%)
3. SDG 12.2: Achieve sustainable resource use (85.0%)

Table 4 from the study: SDG targets where experts expect UA to help the most.

⚡ But Energy Use is a Problem

• SDG 7.2: Increasing share of renewable energy use received the lowest support (59.4%).
• Indoor farms, despite their tech appeal, consume a lot of energy.

The researchers write:

"This inconsistency in opinion among experts [regarding SDG 7.2], i.e., 59.4 % anticipating positive and 12.9 % anticipating negative impacts of promoting UA on SDG 7.2 Increase share of renewable energy, highlighted unsustainable energy use as probable harmful side effect which the UA sector needs to mitigate."

Who Wins Where? A Breakdown by Farming System

Each UA system offers different strengths. Here's what the experts said:

Table 6: Experts' ranking of system contributions to specific SDGs.

In short:

• Greenhouses = food security
• Indoor farms = environmental goals
• Gardens = social inclusion

But:

The researchers also clarify that “promoting one system over another and especially replacing one with another may result in fewer positive impacts than promoting system diversity.”

Global South vs. Global North: A Tale of Two Optimisms

Experts from the Global South were consistently more optimistic about UA's benefits:

• 89.2% of Global South experts believe that expanding UA can double their cities’ food production (vs. 63.1% in the North).
• More Global South experts think that visible progress in renewable energy and biodiversity is achievable through UA.

Why? Possibly because:

• Cities in the Global South face more pressing food challenges.
• There's more room (and need) for innovation.
  
  

The Clock is Ticking: Will We Hit 2030 Targets?

Not likely. Even with strong UA promotion:

• Over 70% of experts believe impacts will only be visible after 2030.
• The biggest delay is expected for SDG 15.1: Restore freshwater ecosystems (83.3%).

Table 8: Most UA-related SDG targets will not be met on time, say experts.

Image source: https://gr.pinterest.com/pin/650910952375810100/

What Needs to Happen Next?

The study outlines key actions for UA to reach its potential:

• Lower energy use in indoor farms (e.g., via dynamic management or heat reuse)
• Life cycle assessments to identify options for system improvements and context-specific system suitabilities
• Better policies and urban planning
• Public investment in equitable, low-tech solutions
• Context-specific solutions tailored to local needs

"There is a need for cheaper techniques for greenhouse constructions using local materials. Otherwise food produced in greenhouses would be very expensive." — Expert from the Global South

Final Thoughts: Greener Cities in the Making

This study shows that urban agriculture can be a powerful lever for sustainability — if we invest smartly, act locally, and plan for the long term. The mix of systems, from humble gardens to glowing vertical farms, all have a role to play.

At Agritecture, we're proud to support research like this and push the UA conversation forward. Whether you're a policymaker, investor, or grower, this is your call to dig in.

Ready to Bring Urban Agriculture to Life in Your City?

Agritecture has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, governments, and developers plan, launch, and scale urban agriculture projects around the world. Whether you need a feasibility study, a greenhouse design, or a vertical farm business model, our consulting team is here to help.

👉 Contact us today to start growing smart

Sources & Credits

• Karpe, M., Lachman, J., Wang, L., Marcelis, L.F.M., Heuvelink, E. (2025). Potential for Urban Agriculture: Expert Insights on Sustainable Development Goals and Future Challenges. Sustainable Production and Consumption, in press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2025.05.001 
• Agritecture Consulting supported survey distribution and expert engagement.