| Food supply dynamics determine in invisible but powerful ways how our cities, neighbourhoods and even houses work.
Pandemics have consequences on various levels of the food chain supply, from impacting the workforce, to the distribution and changes in eating habits. How the Covid pandemic could change our cities?
1. THE THREAT
UN warns of possible threats to the global food supply, not because of scarcity but mainly due the FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. Would this be a return to local ans possibly more sustainable markets? This could be a solution, but not for all countries, and especially not for VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
2. FOOD SHORTAGES
For fresh produce it’s the population in the cities that could be more at risk, with long and complicated food supply chains. For all the other products, the situation can be far more complicated, with EXPORTS BLOCKED globally and black markets rising.
3. CHANGE IS COMING
Building SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE is necessary to be able to respond rapidly to similar future crises, and it should be based on more sustainable and ethical partnerships at local and regional level. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY can also help by empowering small and young producers.
4. GREEN THUMB ANYONE?
Amid the pandemic, URBAN FARMING has gained more and more attention. Whether in the back garden, on the balcony or on the apartment building roof, more people are giving it a try.
5. HYDROPONICS
New technologies are also helping the development of urban farming with successful results, as with Hydroponics. Its advantage is the creation of VERTICAL FARMS, maximising space especially in dense cities, as NEW YORK case exemplifies. |
