The rivers, lakes and ponds in cities – urban blue spaces also known as UBS – are increasingly recognised for their ecological and social roles. However, their contributions to sustainable food systems remains understudied. For this reason, an international research team led by Göttingen and Kassel Universities examined the extent and benefits of foraging for food in blue spaces across four major Indian cities. The items collected included fish, crabs, clams and plants as well as berries, mushrooms and flowers. The researchers found that bodies of water in cities played a critical role in food security and social inclusion. The results were published in the journal Nature Cities.
The researchers carried out face-to-face surveys with 1,200 foragers in urban blue spaces across four major Indian cities: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kochi and Kolkata. They categorised the foragers into three groups – "rare", "occasional" and "frequent" – and investigated the extent, practices and benefits of foraging. They found that women, the elderly, and marginalized communities most frequently collected, shared, cooked, and sold food products. Access to home or community gardens strongly motivated "occasional" foragers. "Frequent" foragers emphasized benefits relating to nutrition, income, culture, and community. "Occasional" foragers appreciated benefits related to nature and culture. Many foragers, despite being engaged in paid work, used their harvests to feed their families and share or sell surplus food.
"Our findings challenge the conventional perspectives on urban food foraging," explains Dr Sukanya Basu who carried out this research at Göttingen University and is now Assistant Professor at Azim Premji University, India. She adds: "Urban waterbodies – lakes, wetlands, rivers – are not just ecological assets, they are often overlooked, vital spaces that support nutrition, livelihoods, and wellbeing, especially for vulnerable communities. Despite pollution and long-term degradation, waterbodies in Indian cities continue to sustain livelihoods, food practices and community life. The future urban planning must move beyond restoring water quality alone and consider how blue spaces can also support sustainable food systems and social inclusion."
In conclusion, the research adds the issue of food security to a growing body of evidence that links the quality of urban blue spaces to biodiversity, attractiveness, safety and infrastructure – all with positive health outcomes. Integrating blue spaces into urban planning would foster a transformation to sustainable landscapes, as well as support traditional practices and marginalized communities. "Since the 1950s, rapid urban development, pollution and industrialization has led to the deterioration of many rivers, lakes and channels in cities," says Tobias Plieninger, Professor of Social-Ecological Interactions in Agricultural Systems at the Universities of Göttingen and Kassel. "Our findings show that urban blue spaces need to be recognized as precious assets in towns and cities".
The study was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Original publication: Basu S et al "Widespread practices and sustainability benefits of foraging in urban blue spaces of India," Nature Cities (2025). DoI: 10.1038/s44284-025-00337-4
