Urban agriculture could supply about 28% of Europe’s vegetable demand

The authors elaborate that the potential of urban agriculture varies widely depending on factors such as city density, land availability, climate, water availability, and urban planning policies and regulations.

By Heike Hensel, Leibniz-Institut für ökologische Raumentwicklung e. V.
PHYS ORG
Apr 29, 2026

Excerpt:

A new study, conducted by researchers from the Netherlands and Germany, estimates that urban agriculture in European cities could produce up to 20 million tons of vegetables annually, representing roughly one-third of the region’s current vegetable production. The study, published in the journal Sustainable Cities and Society, systematically analyzes the potential of urban agriculture for 840 cities across 30 European countries.

Lead author Stepan Svintsov, a researcher at the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER), summarizes, “Using a GIS-based analytical approach, we evaluated how underutilized spaces such as rooftops, residential gardens, green areas, and vacant urban land could be converted into productive vegetable-growing areas. Doing so could supply 28% of vegetable demand for 190 million Europeans.”

The study assessed the availability of urban land and rooftop spaces suitable for simple, open-air vegetable cultivation using soil, such as gardens and rooftop beds, without high-tech systems like hydroponics or vertical farming. The findings suggest that between 4,500 and 7,500 square kilometers of urban land could be used for agriculture across European cities. That is more than the area of the island of Mallorca, or twice its area (3,640 and 7,280 square kilometers respectively).

“Urban agriculture could significantly strengthen local food systems, improve urban resilience, and reduce the environmental impacts associated with long-distance food transportation,” explains the corresponding author, Prajal Pradhan, an associate professor at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Despite their promising findings, he emphasizes, “Urban agriculture should be seen as a complementary component of existing food systems rather than a full replacement for traditional agriculture.”

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