The RUAF Foundation is an international network of seven regional resource centers and one global resource centre on Urban Agriculture and Food Security. In 1996 the international Support Group on Urban Agriculture (SGUA) took the initiative to set up a Resource Centre on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF), in response to the expressed need of organizations and local governments in the South for effective mechanisms for the documentation and exchange of research data and practical experience on urban agriculture.
In the following years, RUAF gradually evolved into an international network of regional resource centers providing training, technical support and policy advice to local and national governments, producer organizations, NGO's and other local stakeholders. In March 2005, the RUAF partners established the RUAF Foundation as their joint administrative body and liaison office. RUAF focuses its activities mainly in 20 cities, where RUAF closely cooperates with the local government, producer organizations, NGO's, universities and private enterprises.