A critical review evaluates how urban-metabolism assessments can support food security and urban agriculture in informal settlements. The paper reviews how material- and energy-flow approaches address food access, urban agriculture and informal-settlement conditions. The discussion centres on Food security, Urban agriculture, Informal settlements, and Urban metabolism.

The analysis draws on Scopus and Web of Science review of 381 records, grey-literature review, and thematic synthesis. The geographical or conceptual scope is Informal settlements in lower-income countries.

The contribution reflects the Lab’s interdisciplinary approach, combining quantitative and qualitative evidence to translate urban-metabolism research into planning, design, governance or policy. Written by Alejandra Acevedo-De-los-Ríos and Daniela Perrotti, it appears in or was issued by IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (1363, 012080).