Introduction or preface

The worlds of agriculture have been an integral part of the urban planning policies of many cities and international institutions for some years now. Despite this, agriculture and rural development subjects have only formed part of the debate on planning for a short while, suffering from delays connected with a more general development of planning as part of that ‘overcoming the rural' made explicit by ‘modern' development. The essays states and connects some fundamental passages with which the role of the rural has been reconstructed at global level in recent decades, providing new contents for action plans. Key words: urban agriculture; development; sustainability The worlds of agriculture have been an integral part of the urban planning policies of many cities and international institutions for some years now. Despite this, agriculture and rural development subjects have only formed part of the debate on planning for a short while, suffering from delays connected with a more general development of planning as part of that ‘overcoming the rural' made explicit by ‘modern' development. The essays states and connects some fundamental passages with which the role of the rural has been reconstructed at global level in recent decades, providing new contents for action plans.