This Think Piece evaluates to what extent, and in which conditions, urban agriculture can enhance the sustainability of urban-rural food systems and promote a circular economy in cities. It provides an overview of different urban agriculture typologies, ranging from household backyard gardens to community allotment gardens, from rooftop greenhouses to high-tech vertical farming. With a systems lens, it analyses the natural resource use implications of urban agriculture in its various forms and assesses its benefits and trade-offs across multiple sustainability goals, acknowledging distinct regional specificities.