| Agriculture is a productive activity not typically associated with urban areas, where it is often seen as a marginal use for land awaiting future development. Yet research indicates that agricultural production within urban and peri-urban regions may be very significant in terms of meeting household nutritional requirements and food security, as well as offering income-generating opportunities and global environmental enhancements.; Urban agriculture and urban food systems are receiving growing attention, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, little such attention has been directed toward the cities in the Middle East. While basic constraints, opportunities, and interactions are shared throughout the world, agriculture in Middle Eastern cities and peri-urban area present important contrasts to other region on several counts. There are political, religious, historical, and cultural “isms” which have influence agriculture in the Middle East. Given its geo-ecological position on earth, the Middle East suffers from severe levels of land degradation, water insecurity, and deforestation. Desertification not only has negative effects on urban and peri-urban zones, and on rural development in the Middle East. With the high levels of urbanization, fragility of agricultural lands, and great propensity for conflict in the Middle East, the development of urban agriculture can make sustainable contributions to improving the quality of life of populations in the region. |
