Readjusting to reality

Modern civilisation has been driven by the notion that things can but go onwards and upwards with two versions of the vision being one of urbanisation in the context of technological and economic progress contrasted with another that saw the eventual achievement of a society of easy living and social equality. Over the past three decades, drowned out by the sheer noise of the modern consumer society, the optimism has ebbed away and the future seems not only increasingly uncertain but also potentially catastrophic in the face of global warming and declining energy resources. Changes are starting to take place, indicating new directions in urban development, initially in the local provisioning of food through urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) growing rapidly almost everywhere in the world. Whilst food security is, in many cities, the primary consideration, there are many other concerns, motivations, starting points and means of organising UPA initiatives. This paper analyses the background to the growth of UPA and describes some contrasting examples. It ends with a return to the consideration of where, in the longer term, the UPA movement may be going, speculating on an eventual re-ruralisation of populations and the decline of cities.