Informal settlements face challenges, including limited access to food, economic opportunities, and infrastructure. Understanding the relationship between food systems and activities is crucial for promoting resilience, food security, and sustainable construction. This article explores the significance of food-related activities in public and private spaces and their impact on community well-being and environmental sustainability. By examining initiatives, we seek to identify how local food production, distribution, and consumption contribute to community resilience, economic solutions, and social cohesion. We explore the role of land policies in facilitating food-related activities and factors influencing the success of these initiatives. We analyze 15 bottom-up initiatives in Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, and Chile, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, a survey, and site observations. Cultural contexts, local governance structures, resource availability, and community participation are key factors influencing the outcomes of these initiatives. The study reveals that food-related activities play a vital role in informal settlements, contributing to social cohesion, cultural practices, and environmental sustainability. Public spaces like community gardens foster interaction and skill-sharing, while private spaces promote entrepreneurship and psychological benefits. The findings highlight the importance of local food systems as catalysts for community development, social cohesion, and risk reduction in informal settlements. Policymakers, planners, and leaders can utilize these insights to promote inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development. Recognizing the significance of food-related activities can integrate them into urban planning strategies, fostering self-sufficiency and environmental protection. Additionally, the study emphasizes local knowledge and strategies in shaping future initiatives for sustainable urban planning.
Gonzalo Lizarralde’s work has significantly contributed to current debates about climate change action, the role of informality in project governance, the usefulness of the resilience framework, the impacts of rapid urban transformation, and low-cost housing in developing countries. He holds the Fayolle-Magil Construction Research Chair in Architecture, the Built Environment and Sustainability at the Université de Montréal. He is also the director of the IF Research Group (GRIF), the director of the Canadian Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Reconstruction Research Alliance (Œuvre durable).
Benjamin Herazo – PhD at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Environmental Design. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia and a master’s degree in economics. For more than 15 years, he was an associate professor, director, and dean at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana’s School of Environmental Studies. He also has more than 10 years of experience in architecture firms and has worked as a consultant and researcher in environmental management. His PhD dissertation examines how sustainable development contributes to the alignment between strategic and tactical management in the building sector.