Regional Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on Sustainable Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (SUPA)
Chandigarh | 18 October 2022
Organized by: World Resources Institute (WRI India), FOLU India, and UNEP
Role: Invited Participant – Breakout Group II: Sustainability, Circularity and Resilience Discourse
In October 2022, I was invited by the World Resources Institute (WRI India), in collaboration with the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU India) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), to participate in a regional consultation on Sustainable Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (SUPA), held in Chandigarh. The event convened policymakers, civil society actors, academics, and urban practitioners to reflect on the evolving role of urban agriculture in a post-pandemic context, with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).
I participated in Breakout Group II, which focused on the Sustainability, Circularity, and Resilience Discourse of urban and peri-urban agriculture. We addressed critical questions around integrating UPA into mainstream food systems, closing nutrient loops through circular practices, and creating resilient food networks to withstand disruptions such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our discussion highlighted key challenges such as poor administrative support, inefficient use of urban open spaces, inadequate waste segregation and management, and weak market linkages for peri-urban farmers. Examples such as the halted efforts of Kheti Virasat Mission and the struggles of Chandigarh’s Organic Farmers Market emphasized the need for institutional support and policy backing.
The group proposed several actionable solutions:
- Reimagining urban form by embedding agriculture into city planning, revising building norms, utilizing underused green spaces for food cultivation, and supporting rooftop gardening through policy incentives (such as those introduced by the Bihar government).
- Mainstreaming UPA through educational initiatives in schools and awareness building across communities.
- Promoting circularity by incentivizing composting and better waste segregation at source, with examples like housing society-led composting models.
- Shortening supply chains by growing perishables within city limits and connecting producers directly to consumers.
- Creating robust market linkages for peri-urban farmers, encouraging diversification, and integrating with digital platforms.
My contribution built on my experience in urban governance and planning, emphasizing the need to rethink city infrastructure and planning norms to integrate food systems meaningfully and equitably.
National Conference on The Future of Urban Sanitation in India: Localising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Secondary Cities
New Delhi | 27–28 February 2020
Organized by: Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)
Role: Invited Participant
In February 2020, I was invited to participate in the national conference on The Future of Urban Sanitation in India, held in New Delhi and jointly organized by PRIA, NIUA, and RIS. The conference brought together urban development experts, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to share innovative, scalable approaches to inclusive and sustainable sanitation in Indian cities.
The two-day event served as a platform to spotlight successful practices and create pathways for institutional learning, policy influence, and systems change in the sanitation sector. A special consultation within the conference focused on Localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11, in India’s secondary cities.
The discussions centered on:
- Building capacities of local elected representatives (mayors and councillors) to define and implement SDG frameworks.
- Promoting convergence among government programmes and institutions to achieve interlinked goals.
- Strengthening local contributions to India’s Voluntary National Review (VNR) processes through improved transparency and accountability.
As an invited participant, I contributed insights based on my work in urban governance, informal settlements, and the critical role of participatory approaches in achieving equitable access to sanitation services. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to link field realities to national policy discourse, especially in under-researched urban contexts like secondary cities.
Research Workshop: Urban Planning and the Heterogeneous City – Technical, Social, and Political Controversies around the 2014–2034 Mumbai Development Plan
EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland | 5–7 April 2016
Organized by: Urban Sociology Laboratory (LaSUR), EPFL & Centre for Urban Policy and Governance, TISS
Role: Invited Participant – India Project Team
As part of the international research collaboration between the Urban Sociology Laboratory (LaSUR) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Centre for Urban Policy and Governance at TISS Mumbai, I was invited to participate in a multi-day research workshop held at EPFL, Lausanne, in April 2016.
The workshop brought together the India and Switzerland-based research teams to collaboratively refine our methodology, share preliminary findings, and plan future outputs for the project Urban Planning and the Heterogeneous City, which critically examines the technical, social, and political debates around the 2014–2034 Mumbai Development Plan (MDP).
My participation included co-presenting an overview and preliminary analysis of interview data and the DP report itself, alongside colleagues from EPFL. Key sessions included thematic discussions on mapping urban controversies, publication planning, and preparation for the follow-up workshop in Mumbai.
The workshop concluded with a field trip to Geneva, exploring the city’s history of squatting and how it intersects with urban planning, a reflective and comparative exercise linking European and Indian urban dynamics.
