Urban agriculture and water recycling: A comprehensive outlook on current panorama

Abstract

Urban agriculture (UA) is increasingly recognized for its role in addressing contemporary challenges related to food security, climate change, and urbanization, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda. As urban populations surge, the demand for food, space, and natural resources intensifies. UA emerges as a strategic solution, offering local, sustainable food production while enhancing urban environmental sustainability and resilience. This practice includes growing food and raising animals within or near urban areas, adapting to diverse urban settings worldwide. Nonetheless, one significant challenge is ensuring access to quality water for irrigation, especially in water-scarce regions. This has directed to exploration of wastewater treatment (WWT) as a viable solution. WWT transforms wastewater from urban, industrial, and agricultural areas into a safe resource for irrigation and crop fertilization, conserving water resources and reducing environmental pollution. This strategy contributes to sustainability by conserving water, minimizing pollution, and promoting more sustainable agricultural practices. This study explored the current panorama of WWT application in UA, highlighting its positive impacts on achieving the 2030 Agenda. It underscores the potential of WWT to establish a sustainable and equitable future by addressing water scarcity, enhancing food security, and conserving water resources. Therefore, the work also indicated economic and legislative aspects and recently patented inventions, offering a comprehensive understanding of how these technologies can be successfully integrated into urban agricultural systems to boost food security and conserve water resources.