Role of urban and peri-urban agriculture in nutritional diversity, cultural resilience and community-based food security in an Eastern Himalayan city

Urban food insecurity affects approximately 75% of the global food-insecure population, with nutritional diversity and accessibility increasingly constrained by climate change and rapid urbanization. This study examines urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Imphal, the capital of Manipur in Northeast India’s Eastern Himalayan region, as a community-based response to these interconnected challenges. Traditional Meitei homesteads featuring courtyards, ponds and kitchen gardens have been largely replaced by residential buildings due to population pressure, yet households continue to practice small-scale gardening using containers, terraces and rooftops. Health concerns over pesticide residues in market vegetables have driven a shift toward organic, chemical-free home cultivation. A mixed-methods survey ( n = 150 households) reveals that nearly all urban households engage in some form of food production, with women managing most gardens. Beyond immediate food needs, UPA in Imphal is deeply entwined with the region’s unique cultural heritage; diversified kitchen gardening has ensured food and nutrition security for centuries, contributing to a social resilience that makes farmer suicide unheard of in this region. UPA in Imphal contributes to nutritional security by diversifying household diets with fresh vegetables and herbs, enhances climate resilience through localized food systems and supports cultural continuity in a biodiversity-rich yet climate-vulnerable region.