In response to urban expansion, the increase in population that will live in cities in the coming years, and the fragmentation and loss of fertile agricultural land, this article identifies and discusses the main arguments why urban planning must incorporate policies related to the spatial planning of the food system. Based on an extensive analysis of the most recent literature on this subject, emphasis is placed on the role that spatial planning can play in articulating policies that help to shorten the distance between production and consumption zones; strengthen the productive function of peri-urban agrarian spaces; contribute to the reduction of the ecological footprint of food transportation; and lastly, improve food safety in cities, thereby generating a more efficient urban metabolism in terms of quality, environment and energy. More specifically, the framework of the Agrourbano project is enriched by the proposal of an analytical model that uses a systemic approach to treat cities and peri-urban agrarian spaces, and the relations between the different agents.