A new harvest of the suburbs

Abstract

As a 'nation of cities', that is one of the world's most highly suburbanized countries, Australia needs to consider carefully the implications of its starkly unique settlement pattern for food security. There must be due consideration of the fact that most people live in suburbia and that this is likely to continue for a long time. Nothing less than a new 'harvest of the suburbs' is necessary. It is a highly achievable goal. Our suburbs were once productive of food and many other good things. The challenge now is not to 'plan out' this productive potential through thoughtless approach to urban consolidation. Both 'vertical' and 'horizontal' food production will be needed in quest for food security.