Multi-functional Urban Greening: A Policy Review Assessing the Integration of Urban Agriculture into the Urban Planning System of Punjab Province, Pakistan

The proportion of the population living in urban areas is constantly increasing all over the world, with the highest growth rates in developing countries. This growth results in a reduction in green spaces and other constraints on sustainable development. There is a need to adapt a multi-functional urban greening approach before these losses are irredeemable. Urban agriculture (UA) is claimed to contribute to urban sustainability through food production, landscape maintenance, aesthetics, and the ecology of urban centers. Despite growing recognition of its benefits, UA is still not integrated into urban planning systems in many developing countries. This study reviews physical planning policies of Punjab province to assess the formal position of UA in the urban planning system of Pakistan. In this work, an interpretive policy analysis has been adapted to assess the capacity of policies to protect and promote urban greenery. The results show that urban planning in Pakistan does not formally accommodate UA, and current policies also lack the capacity to ensure an increase in greenery proportional to the rate of urban development.