Agropolitan Territories of Monsoon Asia

The Agropolitan Territories module addresses the unsustainable relationship between urbanisation and food production in monsoon Asia. Globally, urban land expansion is consuming fertile agricultural land at unprecedented rates. Simultaneously, the industrialised agricultural practices developed to meet the food needs of urbanised populations are placing pressure on a range of ecological systems. The module is developing an 'agropolitan' outlook to this challenge, foregrounding the inter-dependence of future cities and future agriculture. It is doing so by developing transdisciplinary and multi-scaled approaches to data collection and analysis, dynamic planning support tools, and designs and prototypes for sustainable agropolitan territories.
Navigation

Propose design pathways to sustainable settlements in rapidly urbanising food regions

Urbanisation with an agropolitan outlook, foregrounding the inter-​dependence of future cities and future agriculture

The Agropolitan Territories of Monsoon Asia module addresses the unsustainable relationship between urbanisation and food production in monsoon Asia. Globally, urban land expansion is consuming fertile agricultural land at unprecedented rates. Simultaneously, the industrialised agricultural practices developed to meet the food needs of urbanised populations are placing pressure on a range of ecological systems. A future based on this pattern would be disastrous, not only for already vulnerable regions, but also for the planet.

This research seeks to develop an 'agropolitan' outlook to urbanisation, which foregrounds the inter-​dependence of future cities and future agriculture. It is doing so by developing transdisciplinary and multi-​scaled approaches to data collection and analysis, dynamic planning support tools (combining artificial intelligence and participatory planning), and designs and prototypes for sustainable agropolitan territories.

The focus of the study is Monsoon Asia, where urbanisation is rapid and intense, and where most of the world's staple cereals are grown (90% of the world's rice, 45% wheat, and 25% maize). Within this region, we are focusing on a selection of complex, polycentric settlement networks in China, India and Indonesia, considering the knowledge exchange possibilities between these regions and Singapore's emerging expertise in food-secure urban planning.

External Content

Agropolitan Territories: Conference 2023

Read more Published 28. February 2024 (Updated 4 months ago)

Outputs & Media

Cikarang Seed Town
Keeping up the Appearances of Lin-pan: High-tech Agrarian Transformation in Peri-Urban Chengdu
Asian Development Bank Advisor
Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES) Advisor
Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Advisor
Directorate for the China-Singapore Advisor
EPFL Advisor
Indian Institute for Human Settlements Advisor
International Rice Research Institute Advisor
Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning Advisor
PT Jababeka Advisor
Singapore Food Agency Advisor
Southeast University Advisor
Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs Advisor
Surbana Jurong Advisor
University of Diponegoro Advisor

Research Team

Future Cities Laboratory Global

Welcome to FCL Global, an interdisciplinary research programme that seeks to address the worldwide circumstances of rapid urbanisation. Our ultimate goal is to promote more equitable and livable urban futures, by bringing together Science, Design, Engineering and Governance.

Contact Us

Stay informed

Visit the outreach section to stay on top of on recent news, developments, publications and upcoming events at Future Cities Laboratory Global.

Outreach

Newsletter Signup