Pakistan needs to integrate urban agriculture into city planning as rapid urbanisation, shrinking arable land and rising temperatures increase pressure on food security and living conditions, according to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Half Year Economic Report. The report highlights urban agriculture as a potential response to two interconnected challenges facing the country: maintaining access to locally produced food while reducing the impact of rising temperatures across densely populated cities. As more land is converted for residential, commercial and infrastructure development, the availability of agricultural land around major urban centres continues to come under pressure. At the same time, expanding concrete structures and reduced green coverage are contributing to higher temperatures and worsening heat conditions in cities. SBP’s analysis suggests that incorporating food production into urban environments could provide an additional source of food while helping cities manage some of the environmental pressures associated with rapid urban growth.
The report points to cities including Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, where dense construction has intensified the urban heat island effect. Large areas covered by concrete and other heat-absorbing surfaces can retain heat and contribute to higher temperatures, particularly in heavily built-up areas. The environmental pressure is further compounded by poor air quality, with Pakistan facing severe pollution levels and high concentrations of PM2.5 in major urban centres. Against this backdrop, SBP analysts have called for a shift towards more localised and circular food systems that can make better use of limited urban resources. Urban agriculture can reduce the distance food travels from production areas to consumers, while also providing opportunities to reuse certain municipal waste streams and create green employment. Increased vegetation in built-up areas can also contribute to improved urban microclimates by providing additional green cover and helping reduce heat exposure.
International examples cited in the report demonstrate how urban agriculture can become a meaningful part of a city’s food system when supported by consistent policies and community participation. In Cuba, decentralised land usufruct arrangements have enabled urban gardens in Havana to produce a significant share of the city’s fruit and vegetable requirements, with the report noting that urban gardens account for 90% of annual fruit and vegetable consumption in the city. Nairobi in Kenya provides another example, where regulatory reforms have helped urban agriculture expand its role in supplying food. The report states that urban agriculture contributes 60% of leafy vegetables and 70% of milk and poultry consumed in the Kenyan capital. These examples indicate that urban farming can move beyond small-scale household gardening when cities establish suitable regulatory frameworks, provide access to land and involve local communities in implementation.
For Pakistan’s urban areas, SBP identifies several models that could be adapted to different levels of available space and investment. Rooftop gardening can allow households, commercial buildings and institutions to use otherwise idle areas for growing vegetables and other produce. Container farming can similarly be adopted where conventional plots are unavailable, while organoponics, which uses raised beds and organic substrates, can offer another option for intensive urban cultivation. Basement mushroom cultivation is also identified as a low-capital model requiring relatively limited space and energy while offering short production cycles. Community gardens could be developed on vacant plots, allowing groups of residents to collectively manage food production, while edible landscaping could be introduced along suitable public spaces and streets to combine greenery with food-producing plants.
Despite the potential, the report notes that broader adoption of urban agriculture in Pakistan remains constrained by policy and institutional weaknesses. Some provinces have already introduced urban forest policies, including Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but implementation has remained limited and fragmented. SBP argues that urban agriculture would require stronger coordination among municipal authorities, urban planners, agricultural specialists and local communities rather than being treated as an isolated environmental initiative. Integrating food production into formal urban planning could allow authorities to identify suitable spaces and establish clear rules for their use, while coordination with agricultural experts could help residents and community organisations adopt appropriate cultivation techniques.
SBP has recommended that municipal authorities incorporate urban agriculture into formal city planning frameworks and consider leasing unused public spaces to cooperatives and community groups. Public extension services could also be established to provide technical guidance and training to citizens interested in rooftop gardening, container farming, mushroom cultivation and other urban agriculture models. Such measures could help move urban agriculture from scattered individual efforts towards a more organised component of city management. The approach could also create opportunities for community-based food production while making productive use of spaces that currently remain underutilised.
The report presents urban agriculture as more than a method of producing food within city boundaries. Its wider potential includes reducing dependence on long-distance food supply chains, improving access to fresh produce, increasing vegetation, creating employment opportunities and supporting more resource-efficient urban systems. For a country facing simultaneous pressures from population growth, land constraints, climate-related risks and urban expansion, SBP’s assessment suggests that food production and environmental planning need to be considered together. Strengthening institutional support and incorporating urban agriculture into municipal planning could therefore provide Pakistan’s cities with another tool to address food security and increasing heat risks as urban populations continue to grow.
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