Graham MacDonald: Global agriculture and food systems in an era of change

MacDonald Harrington Building, Room 420

Agricultural production is intertwined with socioeconomic change at scales ranging from local to global. However, the relationship between agricultural production and food consumption is also increasingly complex due to the dual influence of urbanization and globalization in the global food system —a ‘spatial decoupling’ between rural agriculture and increasingly urban demand. In this seminar, I will discuss some key trends related to agriculture and food at the global scale, drawing on perspectives from the fields of geography and land system science to assess distal drivers and interactions between agricultural production and consumption. Case studies will illustrate some key challenges and opportunities in the global food system, such as the potential co-benefits of urban and peri-urban farming for nutrient recycling and the provision of ecosystem services. I conclude with a discussion of some early efforts to assess urban ‘foodsheds’ in order to link demand for food in cities to geographic source areas and changes in rural agriculture at larger scales.

Guest lectures are made possible through the generous gift of the Brenda and Samuel Gewurz Fund for Teaching and Learning in Urban Design and Development, and TRAM.