IN-PERSON Barcelona Livable Cities. Section B

Abstract

According to the United Nations there are 828 million undernourished people in the world. Food security is presently a major concern for many countries, either because they are unable to produce enough food to feed their populations or because economic, political, or environmental crises could significantly impact their distribution channels and food supplies. During the coronavirus pandemic, disruptions to the global supply chains exposed the United Arab Emirates vulnerability to food security issues, by posing challenges in maintaining consistent food imports. While the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is considered food secure due largely to its economic and political stability, it still must address food security challenges resulting from water scarcity, climate change, hot weather, and a growing population expected to reach 10 million by 2026. Currently the UAE imports between 80-90% of its food supplies, and while the country has not fallen into food insecurity due to its capacity to purchase food on the international market even if at higher costs, the lack of sufficient economic diversification from heavy reliance on petroleum means that the UAE finances its food imports primarily through fossil fuel revenues, leaving the country vulnerable to fluctuations in trade between food and oil. To address these issues, our architecture studio focused this semester (Fall 2024) work on urban food production in the Emirate of Sharjah, looking into proposals of sustainable adaptability and systemic interdependence, that look to start a discussion about food security in extreme environments. This article will cover our work.