Sustainable Urban Food Production with a Special Focus on Permaculture From Hungarian Perspectives
Andrea Uszkai
Planlama / Journal of Planning 0000;00(0):1–11 | – Available online: 19.08.2025
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in sustainable agriculture and food production in Hungary as well. Moreover, as today’s climate change significantly impacts agriculture, there is increased scrutiny of conventional agriculture, with various sustainable agriculture concepts emerging, such as climate-smart agriculture, regenerative or conservation agriculture, organic farming, permaculture, and agroforestry.
This review article compares different sustainable agriculture approaches in terms of their definitions and principles based on the scientific literature, showing that urban spaces are also suitable for sustainable food production. This study aims to provide insights into the current state of environmentally sustainable agriculture in Hungary, focusing specifically on permaculture as an innovative practice that is gaining traction in the country. Permaculture represents one of the most advanced forms of sustainable farming and gardening in Hungary. It benefits from a well-developed institutional framework, as well as robust educational and training resources. Moreover, permaculture can be practiced in both rural and urban areas, making it suitable for expansion across all regions.
Additionally, successful examples of sustainable agriculture in Hungary may inspire similar initiatives in other countries, thus promoting the broader adoption of climate-friendly and environmentally sustainable food production methods. The paper seeks to answer several key questions: How do Hungarian farmers define permaculture? What advantages does this farming method offer? And how can its adoption be encouraged more widely throughout the country? Hungary’s experiences can serve as a valuable model for other nations aiming to foster environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly farming practices.
Keywords: Farming; Hungary; permaculture; sustainable agriculture.
