Urbanization and its impacts on Food Security: A Case study of District Lahore

Abstract

The Expansion of urban areas uses the agricultural land to create new built-up areas for settlement, affecting local food production and distribution systems. This study investigates the impact of urbanization on food security in District Lahore, with the aim of identifying key challenges and possible areas for intervention. The disparities in access to nutritious foods persist, particularly among low-income communities. This research seeks to understand how urbanization influences the availability of nutritious foods to poor urban residents. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this study combines surveys, interviews, and secondary data analysis to reveal the direct impacts of urbanization on the decreasing agricultural land and local food production. Based on the findings, several recommendations are proposed to address the challenges. These include measures to promote urban agriculture, improve access to affordable and nutritious foods through subsidized markets and implement nutrition education campaigns to raise awareness about healthy eating habits. Additionally, policymakers are urged to prioritize sustainable urban planning strategies that ensure the availability of affordable food to poor urban communities.