Agriculture in the cityʼs countryside

Agriculture and urbanisation are often considered to be mutually antagonistic land-uses. But in an increasingly urban-orientated world, agriculture depends on city markets and often has to operate within the complex mosaic of the urban fringe. This book provides a broad analysis of the nature, structure and relationships of farming in the countryside surrounding cities. From the perspective of resource management and land use planning, the authors explore the biophysical and human dimensions of the organisation of periurban agriculture and identify four main elements around which they present their analysis, the resource base, the market, the farmer, and the role of government. Bryant and Johnston use case study material mainly from the developed world to demonstrate how conflicts and problems can be resolved to the benefit of farmer and city-dweller. By applying systems theory, they provide a synthesis for understanding how modern agriculture functions under urban influence and how these trends are likely to develop in the future, in the context of conservation, economic factors and technological change. An essential and stimulating study of a key issue, this book will appeal to students and researchers in urban studies, rural geography, agricultural economics, land-use studies and planning.