Strategic planning to integrate urban agriculture in Palestinian urban development under conditions of political instability

On 17 September 2022, Dr. Samer Raddad of AL-Quds University researcher published a new study in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Journal titled "Strategic planning to integrate urban agriculture in Palestinian urban development under conditions of political instability".  The article aimed to propose a new strategic model to integrate urban agriculture into a Palestinian urban development framework based on an evaluation of the current status of urban agriculture in the Palestinian urban planning system. The results of this study demonstrated that argues that urban agriculture is absent in urban development processes in Palestinian cities and claims presence of a clear gap between urban planning policies and urban agriculture in Palestine. Lack of knowledge and will among Palestinian urban planners and policymakers have led to the emergence of negative attitudes toward urban agricultural activities in the Palestinian urban planning system. This study proposes a strategic model to enhance knowledge and awareness about urban agricultural issues among Palestinian urban planners and policymakers to foster positive attitudes toward the combination of urban agriculture and the urban planning process in harmony with the Palestinian urban methods, laws, and strategic urban development plans for support of the urban agricultural while making Palestinian cities more sustainable, especially under conditions of political instability. Also, integration urban agriculture as a green area into the Palestinian urban environment would support urban ecosystem services to become more resilient and increase the multifunctional use of urban green spaces such as enhancement of urban food security, social and cultural interaction, and improvement of air quality and life in the Palestinian cities.