Urban Rural Linkages

"Stakeholder Dialogue on Urban Rural Linkages"

Initiative by the Communitas Secretariat, April 2015
Communitas' work continues to demonstrate that addressing the themes of sustainable cities & human settlements and rural development in a complementary and mutually reinforcing manner will be essential in the elaboration of a transformative Post 2015 development agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as of a New Urban Agenda of universal value. Intergovernmental discussions within the SDGs Open Working Group (OWG) and towards the Third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development - Habitat III - have confirmed this gap, as well as a desire from the international community to bridge it.
Discussions so far have shown particular interest in the implications of a complementary approach to sustainable urban and rural development; in particular, for an agenda related to territorial planning, infrastructure, access to services and city region food systems, all of which point to more inclusive and sustainable patterns of growth spanning rural and urban areas. Moreover, these discussions have recognised that urban rural linkages extend well beyond the provision of agricultural goods to urban centres or the encroachment of rapidly growing urban areas on the rural space.
Communitas is leading the way with its initiative for a Stakeholder Dialogue towards a contemporary conceptualisation of the linkages and the identification of its policy drivers.



Think tank session on Urban Rural Linkages

"Think tank session on Urban Rural Linkages"

UN Offices, Nairobi, Kenya, 13th April 2015

On 13th April 2015 at the UN Offices in Nairobi, on the occasion of the second Preparatory Committee towards Habitat III, Communitas co-organized with UN-Habitat a Think Tank Session on Urban-Rural Linkages, as part of its wider initiative of a multi-stakeholder dialogue on this topic. This initiative has a double aim: (a) to support multilateral discussions by providing stakeholders with the technical space required to address this question; and (b) to build capacity on the multiple dimensions, implications, and opportunities presented by the rural-urban nexus. The outcomes of the multi-stakeholder dialogue are twofold: (1) to coherently unpack into concrete proposals a contemporary conceptualization of urban-rural linkages away from the false dichotomy between rural and urban development; and (2) to put forward policy drivers and indicators to foster an integrated approach to this rural-urban nexus within the New Urban Agenda to be adopted in 2016 at the Habitat III Conference.

Programme

Presentation by Dr. Cecilia Tacoli, Principal Researcher, Human Settlements Group, International Institute for Environment and Development

Presentation by Mr. Yunus Arikan, Head of Global Policy & Advocacy and Manager of Cities Climate Center, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability

Habitat III Conference Issues Paper on Urban-Rural Linkages

UN-Habitat flyer on Urban-Rural Linkages

UN-Habitat Executive Director Paper on the Special Theme of the 25th Governing Council

IFAD Post-2015 Issues Brief: “Leveraging the rural-urban nexus for human development

Draft report commissioned by the International Sustainability Unit “Food in an Urbanised World: The role of City Region Food Systems in Resilience and Sustainable Development” (More informationon city region food systems )

Communitas Issues Paper: “Harnessing the rural urban continuum for inclusive growth and universal access to infrastructure & services in the SDGs”

"Harnessing the rural urban continuum for inclusive growth and universal access to infrastructure & services in the SDGs”

Elaborated in January 2014 in the framework of the Communitas working groups on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the paper was authored by Mr. Thomas Forster, with the kind collaboration of members of the Communitas Advisory Committee from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Millennium Institute and Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture & Food Security (RUAF).

Technical Briefing for the SDGs Open Working Group

"The Rural Urban Nexus"

A technical briefing for Member States of the SDGs Open Working Group, UN Headquarters, New York, 22nd May 2014

In May 2014, the Communitas Coalition and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) hosted a technical briefing for Member States of the SDGs Open Working Group (OWG). The briefing provided the technical space required to address this question and to unpack the topic of how to foster an integrated approach to promoting development across urban rural linkages in the SDGs.

Communitas and IFAD came together to provide the opportunity to examine the issue and to take a closer look at the feasibility and transformative potential of some of the proposals on the table. In response to the call from Member States, the briefing supported delegations engaged in the SDGs OWG in two ways:

1. To better understand the multiple dimensions, implications and opportunities of the Urban-Rural nexus;

2. To reflect on discussions within the SDGs OWG with a focus on existing target proposals; in particular as they relate to infrastructure, land use and planning, and access to financial services..

Booklet of Practitioners' Experiences

Practitioners' Booklet of Place-Based Experiences
January 2014

A compilation of place-based experiences from subnational & local practitioners. Published January 2014.




Local Authorities

City of Buenos Aires, Argentina
City of Shimla, India
City of Toronto, Canada
District of Seferihisar, Turkey




Subnational Authorities

Nord Region, Burkina Faso
Province of Azuay, Ecuador
Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Region of Basque Country, Spain
Region of Catalonia, Spain
Region of Fatick, Senegal
Region of Lower Normandy, France
Region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Region of Rhône-Alpes, France
State of Paraná, Brazil
State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
State of São Paulo, Brazil




Non-Governmental Organizations

Habitat for Humanity International
International Housing Coalition (IHC)
Oxfam Great Britain
Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI)
Women's Environment & Development Organization (WEDO)

Work Group and Issues Paper: Linkages with rural development, including food security & ecosystem resources

Final Issues Paper:
Linkages with rural development, including food security & ecosystem resources

February 2014

In Autumn 2013, the Communitas Coalition set up six thematic work groups- covering a wide notion of sustainable and just cities and human settlements. Each of the six groups were administered by a core partner of the Communitas Coalition, with an expert on the relevant thematic area leading its works in close collaboration with the Communitas multi-stakeholder advisory committee. Work Group 5, entitled "Linkages with rural development, including food security & ecosystem resources" produced a thematic issues paper which paved the way for further discussions on urban rural linkages.


Lead Partner: ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability

Lead Expert: Mr. Thomas Forster, Senior Government Affairs Advisor, School Food FOCUS, Adjunct Faculty, New School for Public Engagement, Food Studies Program, Co-Director, International Partners for Sustainable Agriculture (IPSA)

Advisory Committee: International Fund for Agricultural Development - Mr. Zak Bleicher, Liaison Officer; Millennium Institute - Ms. Mayumi Sakoh, Policy & Partnerships Adviser; Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture & Food Security (RUAF) - Ms. Marielle Dubbeling, Director; Mr. Arthur Getz Escudero, Fmr. Director, Global Policy Change & Food Systems Advocacy, Heifer International