Research & reports

Sky Roberts, Charlie M. Shackleton · Land · South Africa

This study investigated urban community food gardens in four towns in South Africa, using surveys and GIS analysis over three decades. It found that common motivations included cash poverty (37%) and the need to grow food (34%), with reported benefits such as a healthy lifestyle (58%) and food consumption (54%). A significant challenge was theft of garden infrastructure or produce, and there were declines in the number and area of urban community gardens, with only 16% of gardens from the 1980s still operating in the 2000s.

Désiré Bisimwa Byamungu, Affermi Kufinu Dia Matondo, Mireille Kimanda Asha · · Africa

A spatial analysis and socio-economic survey were conducted on land occupation, land conflicts, and their management in the Funa Valley in Kinshasa. The findings revealed a strong evolution of anthropogenic presence in the valley and identified multiple land conflicts, including illegal sales of parcels by customary chiefs and illegal occupation of agricultural land by non-market gardeners. The management of these conflicts is often referred to the district chief and the justice ministry.

Chihambakwe, Michelle, Mafongoya, Paramu, L., Jiri, Obert · University of Zimbabwe Institutional Repository (University of Zimbabwe) · Africa

This review examines the application of food sovereignty principles in urban and peri-urban agriculture in Zimbabwe. It notes that despite urban households integrating these practices into their livelihoods, institutional arrangements governing them remain ambivalent. The review concludes that the failure to involve all stakeholders undermines urban and peri-urban agriculture, leading to increased food insecurity and unsustainable practices.

M.K. Saleh, Azher Mustafa · Journal of Agricultural Extension · Nigeria (Kaduna State)

This study investigated food security and productivity among 213 urban farmers in Kaduna State, Nigeria, using interviews and statistical analysis. Results showed that 54.5% of households were food insecure. A regression model predicted that the probability of urban farming households being food secure was 51%, indicating a limited effect on food security despite urban farming efforts.

Ibrahim Aliyu Kankara, Hani Farouk · Annals of Geographical Studies · Nigeria (Kano)

This research evaluated potable water distribution problems in Kano municipal, Nigeria. Using data from 384 questionnaires and investigations of water supply institutions, the study concluded that water supply in Kano municipal does not meet demand due to problems such as insufficient water treatment plants, power failure, and funding shortages.

Abiodun Olusola Omotayo, Ijatuyi Enioluwa Jonathan, Olorunfemi Oluwasogo David, Agboola Peter Temitope · Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica · South Africa

A structured-questionnaire survey of urban agricultural households in Limpopo Province, South Africa, analyzed food security using descriptive and inferential statistics. Respondents were predominantly male with an average age of 46, mainly relying on public tap water, and households had an average monthly income of R2,668.75 against average monthly food spending of R1,284.75 — food costs consuming nearly half of household income. The study suggested interest-free credit for small-scale farmers to improve access to risk-management technologies.

Kra Kouakou Valentin · European Scientific Journal ESJ · Africa

A study of Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, analyzes new land-use dynamics around intra-urban shallow lowlands (bas-fonds) and their effects on market gardening. It finds that rising stakes over these lowlands have drawn in new actors, reducing cultivated areas and making market gardening more unstable and casualized. The operating rules for the floodplain plots previously allocated to gardeners have been redefined, and public servitude land and unbuilt areas are increasingly subject to illegal land transactions and unauthorized construction — indicating a breakdown in land governance and the neglect of urban agriculture within public policy and city management in Côte d'Ivoire.

Shailesh Deshpande, Priyanka Verma, Piyush Yadav, Jay Gubbi, P Balamurali · Asian Journal of Geoinformatics · South Africa (Johannesburg)

Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes in Johannesburg City, South Africa, were analyzed using Landsat imagery from 2000 to 2016. The analysis revealed that impervious surface increased by 57.03% during this period, leading to a 47.8% loss of urban vegetation (grass, tree cover) and urban agricultural land. Additionally, soil and water loss amounted to 16.75%.

Paulos Lukas · Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform) · Ethiopia

This study investigated the effects of urban expansion on the livelihood of 100 dislocated farming households in Wolaita Sodo, Southern Ethiopia, using household surveys, group discussions, and interviews. The findings indicate that the implemented expansion program was not participatory, marginalized the farming community, and excluded youth and women from compensation schemes. The dislocation program was not rehabilitative and negatively affected the livelihood of the dislocated farming community.

Desta Woldetsadik, Pay Drechsel, Bernard Keraita, Fisseha Itanna, Berhanu Erko, Heluf Gebrekidan · International Journal of Food Contamination · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

An assessment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, analyzed 210 lettuce and 90 irrigation water samples for faecal coliform and helminth eggs. Faecal coliform levels ranged from 4.29-5.61 log10 MPN 100 ml−1 in water and 3.46-5.03 log10 MPN 100 g−1 on lettuce, exceeding WHO recommendations. Helminth eggs were detected in 80% of water and 61% of lettuce samples, also exceeding standards. While washing methods reduced contamination, levels remained in a potential risk range.

Olalekan John Taiwo · · Nigeria (Lagos)

A study in Lagos State, Nigeria, analyzed the characteristics of urban agriculture and the influence of land use diversity using 300 questionnaires and personal interviews. The research noted the rapid disappearance of urban agricultural sites within built-up areas, framing it within the concept of "survival of the fittest." Results indicated that land use characteristics where urban agriculture is located moderate its size, rental cost, profit, and accessibility to road networks, while having little to no influence on its distance from markets and water sources.

Volker Häring, Delphine Manka’abusi, Edmund Kyei Akoto-Danso, Steffen Werner, Kofi Atiah, Christoph Steiner, Désiré Jean‐Pascal Lompo, S.G.K. Adiku, Andreas Buerkert, Bernd Marschner · Scientific Reports · Sub-Saharan Africa

This 2-year study in Tamale (Ghana) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) investigated the effects of biochar, wastewater irrigation, and fertilization on sandy, nutrient-depleted soils in urban vegetable production. Biochar addition (2 kg m⁻²) initially doubled soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, but 35% SOC losses occurred afterward. Both biochar types had no effect on soil pH, phosphorus availability, or cation exchange capacity, though rice husk biochar retained nitrogen. The study found that the effects of biochar and waste water were less pronounced than reported elsewhere.

Ojuolape F. Akande, S. A. Ajayi · International Journal of Environment Agriculture and Biotechnology · Nigeria

This study measured heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) in soil and in amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus) and jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) vegetables from selected peri-urban farms around Osun State, Nigeria, to assess human health risk. Soil concentrations fell within FAO/WHO (2002) and EU (2006) agricultural background ranges, but vegetable samples showed appreciable metal levels; arsenic was below detection in all samples, amaranth showed higher retention than jute mallow for all metals except copper, the transfer-factor order was Cd > Zn > Pb > Cu, amaranth contributed the highest estimated daily intake for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, the health risk index was high for Cd and Pb but low for Cu and Zn, and the hazard index results indicate that vegetables grown on the selected peri-urban farms are not safe for consumption.

Jonathan Crush, Bruce Frayne, Cameron McCordic · Journal of food security · Africa

This study uses household survey data from Maseru, Lesotho, to assess the relationship between household engagement in urban agriculture and food security. It found no consistent, statistically significant relationship between urban agriculture practice and food security; some urban agriculture practices were associated with significantly greater odds of food security only among middle-income households in the sample. Because the observed benefits appeared conditional on household income, the study concludes that a generalized, production-centered approach to food insecurity may not be the most effective means of addressing household food insecurity in Maseru.

Cristina D’Alessandro, Kobena T. Hanson, George Kararach · African Geographical Review · Southern Africa

This paper critically examined existing literature on peri-urban agriculture in Southern Africa, arguing it is a viable livelihood response to feeding urban residents. Despite its potential, the literature indicates that peri-urban agriculture does not play a major role in Southern Africa. The study concluded that a lack of political will and weak or absent policy frameworks, stemming from capacity deficits, hinder its promotion.

S. A. Materechera · Journal of Soils and Sediments · South Africa (Mahikeng)

Properties of subsoil in soils used for urban and peri-urban agriculture in Mahikeng city, South Africa, were investigated. Measurements of physical, chemical, and biological properties in four soil profiles (topsoil 0-20cm, subsoil 20-40cm) revealed high bulk density (mean 2.06 Mg m−3) and high penetrometer resistance (1.89 MPa) in the subsoil, indicating potential impedance to root growth. Low hydraulic conductivities at saturation and low plant-available boron levels were also found, leading to the conclusion that subsoil constraints to root growth are widespread in these soils.

Asadu Anthonia, Enwelu Innocent, Ifejika Philip, Igbokwe Edwin · African Journal of Agricultural Research · Nigeria

A survey and interviews with 210 urban farmers in southeast Nigeria explored the benefits and constraints of urban farming. Farmers reported benefits such as food and income sources, but also faced significant constraints including land insecurity, lack of access to credit, theft, and crop destruction by stray animals. The study concludes that urban farming needs to be legalized and integrated into urban policy to realize its full potential.

Isaiah Sewanu Akoteyon, Adeyemi Davidson Aromolaran · International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development · Nigeria (Lagos)

This study evaluated peri-urban market gardening and shallow well water quality for irrigation in Lagos, Nigeria. It found that the mean values of bicarbonate, calcium, and pH in shallow wells exceeded detection levels in 66.7%, 60%, and 53.3% of samples, respectively. Salinity and sodium hazard patterns showed that approximately 66.7% of shallow wells had low salinity, 26.7% medium, and 6.7% high.

Joshua Oluwole Olowoyo, Gladness Nteboheng Lion · South African Journal of Science · South Africa

This review reports on the concentrations of trace metals in crops, including leafy vegetables, harvested from various urban areas. It highlights the presence of trace metals in leafy vegetables and discusses various pathways of uptake, possible health risks associated with urban farming, and morphological and physiological impacts of trace metals in leafy vegetables.

S. J. Ibitoye, U Shaibu, Firdaus Sale, Oroka Frank · International Journal of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences · Nigeria (Kogi State)

This study assessed the influence of urban agriculture on household income in Kogi State, Nigeria, using data from 120 urban farmers. Urban agriculture was found to increase household income at a 90% confidence level. However, urban farmers faced significant constraints including inadequate capital (M=2.9), poor extension services (M=2.4), and high labor costs (M=2.2).

G. A. Abu, A. Soom, Abu, Godwin Anjeinu, Soom, Aondonenge · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Nigeria

This study examined factors affecting food security in 180 rural and urban farming households in Benue State, Nigeria, using structured questionnaires. It found that 53.3% of rural and 62.2% of urban households were food secure based on calorie intake. Key constraints to food security included lack of access to credit, inadequate land, poverty, soil infertility, and storage/processing problems.

Elizabeth Vibert · Journal of Contemporary African Studies · South Africa

This article examines the Hleketani Community Garden in Limpopo Province, South Africa, highlighting the successes of women farmers in reducing poverty and improving health outcomes. Despite these benefits, the research identifies significant structural barriers, including lack of access to resources, unfavorable policy frameworks for small-scale agriculture, and worsening climate change, that hinder small-scale farmers, particularly women.

Fikadu Goshu Fufa · European Journal of Business and Management · Ethiopia

A study of 96 micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Nekemte town, Ethiopia, found that educational status of MSE operators negatively affects business profitability growth. Additionally, the study revealed that microfinance institution (MFI) loan terms are too short for business operations, and most MSEs rely on personal savings for finance.

Simon Hazell, Victoria Delbridge, Beatrice Conradie · UR UCT Undergraduate Research · South Africa

A study in Lavender Hill, Cape Town, South Africa, interviewed 50 participants in the Mothers Unite programme to assess the benefits and constraints of homestead-based urban agriculture. Despite the potential for food gardening to alleviate food insecurity and free up 11% of household income, two-thirds of the group had not tried it. Barriers to adoption included lack of space and limited cash flow, with respondents showing little concern for water or compost costs.

Sarah Oloo Masawa, George G. Wagah, Reuben Oyoo Mosi · International Journal of Physical and Social Sciences · Kenya

This 2011 study in Bondo Sub County, Kenya, assessed the integration of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPUagr) into urban planning, using a descriptive survey design with 368 households and 248 traders. A major challenge identified was the lack of supportive local policy and legal frameworks for UPUagr, and problems with its integration into broader urban development plans. The study found that UPUagr complemented rural agriculture and increased food system efficiency.