A systems modeling framework for the role of agriculture in a sustainable urban ecosystem

This chapter explores the issues related to the future of the peri-urban farm landscape through a local food systems lens. It considers intergenerational succession to assess the long-term viability and persistence of farm businesses engaged in local food systems. The chapter focus on several themes related to local food systems and the persistence of family farming in peri-urban areas. It speculates how differences between multi-generation farm families (MGFs) and first generation farmers (FGFs) lead them to manage intergenerational succession differently and how this process might impact the future farm enterprise viability in peri-urban areas. The complexity and variability of peri-urban land markets and the indirect effects of urbanization result in more varied relationships between farms and the agrifood system, and therefore produce a greater variety of production types in these regions. The majority of research examining the localization of food systems focuses on land use policy and planning; the creation of new, alternative markets; and the need to rebuild infrastructure.