Food Security for China's Cities

Urban food supply will be a key issue for cities in the coming decades, and cities will increasingly turn to their own hinterlands for some types of food. Many of China's cities are better placed to do so than comparably sized cities in developed countries, although some inland cities will fare better than wealthy, export-dependent coastal cities. However, rapid urbanization is putting increasing pressure on previously agricultural districts around these cities. We illustrate using data on local food supplies in Chengdu, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, and draw some conclusions about planning for food security in China.