Urban Farm DB
Research catalogue
Database research record2025·South Africa

Analysing the contribution of urban agriculture towards urban household food security in informal settlement areas

Human Sciences Research Council

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Urban Farm DB summary

A 2025 study from South Africa's Western Cape used propensity score matching on data from 220 households — those participating in Department of Agriculture-funded backyard garden projects plus a control group — to assess urban agriculture's contribution to household food security. Households engaged in urban agriculture benefited from greater dietary diversity and income from selling produce, but the study found no significant positive contribution of urban agriculture to food security.