Final answer:
Urban agriculture has roots in ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia, where cities like Uruk became centers for agricultural trade and cultural advancements such as cuneiform writing and monumental architecture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Urban agriculture is indeed not a new phenomenon, an important example being the early agricultural societies of Mesopotamia. As human settlements transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to more sedentary agricultural ones, cities such as Uruk in Sumer emerged, collectively forming one of the earliest urban agriculture examples in history. The agricultural revolution precipitated the rise of specialization of labor and the development of urban life, allowing a portion of the society to focus on food production while others could engage in tasks like building, crafting, and trade.
The city's inhabitants developed advancements in technology like bronze-making and a writing system known as cuneiform, which aided in trade and the progression of a complex culture. This urban center of Uruk became a hub for agricultural surplus trade and a cradle of civilization's growth, where monumental architecture, government, and social stratification could be widely observed.