Impact of Urban Expansion on Farmlands: A Silent Disaster

Globally, with increasing urbanization and economic growth, cities are expanding at an alarming pace, and built-up areas have increased, particularly in large urban centers of developing countries. This expansion has modified the use of land and, in most cases, has reduced the amount of productive farmland around these cities, which have been a “food basket” for urban dwellers in the past. This study focuses on the impacts of urban expansion on farmland in Asian cities, and it includes a detailed analysis of Peshawar, Pakistan, as a case study. In cities, due to changing climate, food security is an urgent priority due to rising food prices and increasing urban populations. This analysis reveals that urban areas have been growing at a rapid pace in recent years. It has been found that in the absence of planning controls, there has been tremendous unplanned urban expansion which has taken place in a leapfrog fashion, encroaching upon the best agricultural lands in the area and posing serious threats to food security and urban lungs. However, there is no clear agreement on the issue that how to control this unprecedented urban expansion over farmlands and to sustainably manage and save these lands.