In a situation of unleashed population growth, local production is going from being an almost marginal fact to being integrated into the new policies and strategies of our cities. Despite still facing a long journey, it is increasingly common to see new consumer groups, artisans using local resources, and organic horticulture businesses.

While the demand for these products increases, producers organize themselves into associations and clusters with the intention of generating a gear capable of satisfying the market. This trend has not gone unnoticed by merchants and hoteliers, who see in it a new opportunity for their businesses. In the same way, public entities are betting on including local products as a city brand, positively evaluating their use when awarding contracts and tenders, as well as being one of the irreplaceable sections of the < a href="http://www.agenda21local.com.es/plan-de-accion-local/">Action Plans in local Agendas 21.

Local products have been pushed by an environmental awareness “in crescendo” through which they have been acquiring a greater added value since, apart from promoting a more localized enrichment, the impact that the environment receives is much less and Sometimes it’s even positive. The consumption of local or Km 0 and seasonal products significantly reduces the costs of transport and distribution, intensive agriculture and, ultimately, the industrialization of the agri-food sector. It also entails a greater wealth of biodiversity, better air-soil-water quality, less waste generation, greater citizen interaction and a social benefit for the population.

The EU is also heading in this direction, financing nature-based solutions (NBS) projects through its Horizon 2020 program. These solutions aim to adapt cities to Climate Change by creating more resilient environments with the creation of green spaces. And it is there where, together with green spaces, urban gardens have acquired a strong presence and recognition. Soon it won’t be strange for us to go up to the roof of our building to water the tomatoes and pick the lettuce.