Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
535 results(19 / 22)
Strengthening capacity for sustainable livelihoods and food security through urban agriculture among HIV and AIDS affected households in Nakuru, Kenya
2010Nancy Karanja, Fiona Yeudall, S Mbugua, Mary Njenga, Gordon Prain, Donald C. Cole, Alexandra L. Webb, Daniel Sellen, Christopher Gore, Jennifer Levy · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Kenya (Nakuru)
This paper outlined the conception, design, and implementation of a project aimed at strengthening technical, environmental, financial, and social capacity for urban agriculture (UA) among HIV-affected households in Nakuru, Kenya. Key lessons learned included the value of multi-stakeholder partnerships, the crucial role of self-help group organizations, and the importance of institutional commitments to support farming by vulnerable persons. The usefulness of mixed-methods evaluative tools for monitoring progress was also highlighted.
WelfareFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthAgriculture urbaine et valorisation des déchets au Bénin : une approche de développement durable
2010Hygin Faust Kakai, Alban Gilles Kakai, Armelle Grey Tohouegnon · VertigO · Benin (Cotonou)
This study in Benin examined urban agriculture and waste valorization in Cotonou, Abomey, and Abomey-Calavi. In Cotonou, overexploitation of sandy, organic-poor soil in market gardening led to soil impoverishment, forcing gardeners to use chemical fertilizers with negative environmental impacts. However, some market gardeners adopted compost use, transitioning to organized organic urban agriculture after a waste management project supported waste valorization. This dynamic was not observed in Abomey, where urban agriculture is practiced in family spaces and public areas, unlike Cotonou's developed sites. Abomey-Calavi, despite rapid demographic growth, was almost devoid of urban agriculture practices.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cycleCompostEconomicsHealthUrban farming in the informal settlements of Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa
2009W. Van Averbeke · Water SA · South Africa (Pretoria)
This study in five informal settlements of Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa, used a pilot study, household survey, and multiple case studies to assess urban farming's contribution to food security and household income. While over half of households participated in urban farming, its contribution to total household income and food security was generally modest. Main constraints included lack of space and limited access to irrigation water.
Limited or null effectCommunityWelfareHealthFood sovereignty & justiceResource use efficiency in urban agriculture in southwestern Nigeria.
2009Remi Adeyemo, F. Kuhlmann · Tropicultura · Nigeria
This paper evaluates the efficiency of resource use in urban food crop production in five districts of two cities in southwestern Nigeria, based on an effective sample of 120 respondents. The analysis showed that urban food crop production is profitable, with an average revenue of N51,294 per hectare and a gross margin of N23,688. However, there was disequilibrium in resource use, with planting seeds and agrochemicals used efficiently, but land and labor used inefficiently, indicating that urban food crop production has not yet attained an optimum level of resource combination.
Economic viabilityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyImproving food security through environmental management in Ibadan: the case of the Ayeye community.
2009Bolanle Wahab, M. K. C. Sridhar, Aramide Ayorinde · Urban Agriculture Magazine · Nigeria (Ibadan)
The Sustainable Ibadan Project (SIP), established in 1994 by UNCHS (HABITAT), identified waste management and conversion to organic fertilizer as top priorities for Ibadan. Participants at a 1995 City Consultative Forum jointly identified aerobic composting technology using windrows as a viable method to collect and recycle waste, generate income, and use compost for urban agriculture.
CompostOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityDevelopment of vegetable farming: a cause of the emergence of insecticide resistance in populations of Anopheles gambiae in urban areas of Benin
2009Anges Yadouléton, Alex Asidi, Rousseau F Djouaka, B. James, Christian Agossou, Martin Akogbéto · Malaria Journal · Benin
A study in urban areas of Benin investigated the impact of rapid vegetable farming development on the emergence of insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae populations, using sociological data, bioassay tests, and biochemical analysis. The expansion of urban agriculture led to improper insecticide use for vegetable pests, exerting strong selection pressure on mosquito larval populations. This resulted in the emergence of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors, with permethrin mortality rates of 76% in Parakou, 23.5% in Porto-Novo, and 17% in Cotonou.
Environmental trade-offsEconomicsHealthClimate changeConverting City Waste into compost pilot Nairobi (LNV-BO-10-006-115) : report phase one: inventory and assessment
2009P. Kirai, J. Gachugi, Anne Scheinberg · Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) · Kenya (Nairobi)
The 'Converting City Waste in Compost Project' aims to develop a viable system for collecting, processing, distributing, and marketing organic city waste for urban and peri-urban agriculture in East Africa, particularly Nairobi. Phase one of this project involved an inventory and analysis of organic waste sources, quantifying and characterizing non-domestic organic waste streams in Nairobi City. This study presents the findings of phase one, providing a basis for evaluating the potential to divert Nairobi's organic waste for compost and biogas production.
CompostOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureDeterminants of sustainability in urban and peri-urban agriculture
2009Andreas Buerkert, Eva Schlecht, Martina Předotová, Rodrigue V.C. Diogo, Katja Kehlenbeck, Jens Gebauer · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · Sub-Saharan Africa
This study analyzed urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) systems in major Sub-Saharan African cities, measuring carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fluxes and conducting biodiversity studies. In Niamey, low-input gardens showed annual gaseous carbon emissions of 20-25 t ha-1, predominantly CO2, and high-input gardens irrigated with wastewater had annual CO2-C emissions of 27 t ha-1, with N2O as a major nitrogen loss contributor. Animal manure stored in the open was subject to large carbon and nitrogen losses, indicating environmental tradeoffs. However, UPA gardens in Niamey maintained a large variety of fruit and vegetable species, with richness increasing with garden and household size and commercialization.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cycleBiodiversityClimate changePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsUrban food security in South Africa: Case study of Cape Town, Msunduzi and Johannesburg
2009Bruce Frayne, Jane Battersby, Robert Fincham, Gareth Haysom · · South Africa
This study examines urban food security in South Africa, focusing on Cape Town, Msunduzi, and Johannesburg, and includes a critique of the City of Cape Town's urban agriculture policy. The abstract indicates that the policy was found to have significant shortcomings, particularly concerning local production and access to food. The research highlights various policy issues related to food access, dietary diversity, local production, and local markets within these urban contexts.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsHealthInformalization, the Informal Economy and Urban Women’s Livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa since the 1990s
2009Dzodzi Tsikata · · Sub-Saharan Africa
This chapter examines urban women's livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa since the 1990s, focusing on economic liberalization and the expansion of the informal economy. Urban agriculture, including home gardens, is identified as an increasingly important activity within this informal sector. Many women in the urban informal economy are employed by others or have been in the past, while industrial subcontracting, a source of informal employment, has been significant only in a few industrialized Sub-Saharan African countries.
WelfareEconomicsCommunityIntroducing urine as an alternative fertiliser source for urban agriculture: case studies from Nigeria and Ghana.
2009Olufunke Cofie, Adeoluwa Olugbenga, Philip Amoah · Urban Agriculture Magazine · Nigeria; Ghana
This study introduces human urine as an alternative fertilizer source for urban agriculture, presenting case studies from Nigeria and Ghana. It suggests that proper collection and use of human urine can improve urban environmental sanitation and reduce crop production costs. The approach integrates agriculture, environment, and sanitation sectors.
Organic cycleEconomicsHealthUrban farming and food security in Nigeria
2009Sunday Ichima · Pranjana The Journal of Management Awareness · Nigeria
This paper examines urban farming as an important component of food security measures in Nigeria. It highlights the genesis of urban farming in Nigeria and the various types of urban farms, explaining how their products have contributed to food security.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityCommercial horticultural practice in Nigeria: its socio-spatial effects in Lagos city.
2009Abegunde A. A, Emmanuel Olufemi Omisore, O. F. Oluodo, D O Olaleye · African Journal of Agricultural Research · Nigeria (Lagos)
A study in the Eti-Osa local government area of Lagos, Nigeria, investigated the socio-spatial effects of urban horticultural gardens. Of 75 identified gardens, 63 managers were interviewed, revealing that 79.4% of gardens were profit-oriented. Gardens had inadequate setbacks (mean 1.45 m) from roads, leading to off-street parking and traffic congestion. Only 20% of horticulturists aimed to improve urban aesthetics, indicating a need for urban planners to educate them to prioritize urban aesthetics over economic gain.
Environmental trade-offsEconomicsUrban–rural linkageOverview on urban and peri-urban agriculture: definition, impact on human health, constraints and policy issues
2008Erastus K. Kang’ethe, Delia Grace, Thomas F. Randolph · East African Medical Journal · East Africa
This study synthesizes current knowledge on urban agriculture (UA) in East Africa, focusing on its human health impact. It identifies UA as an important source of food security, but notes that many zoonotic and food-borne diseases are associated with it, with a lack of evidence on human health impact and management. Major constraints include illegality and limited access to inputs and markets, indicating a need for more research to understand both positive and negative health impacts.
Contamination & food safetyHealthFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureSustainability and resilience of the urban agricultural phenomenon in Africa
2008Pay Drechsel, Olufunke Cofie, Seydou Niang, Drechsel, Pay, Cofie, Olufunke, Niang, Seydou · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Africa
This record is a reference to a book chapter on the sustainability and resilience of the urban agricultural phenomenon in Africa, and it does not contain specific research content or findings.
Climate changePolicyCommunityUrban Agriculture and Urban Food Insecurity/Poverty in Nigeria
2008Anselm A. Enete, Anthonia Ifeyinwa Achike · Outlook on Agriculture · Nigeria (Ohafia)
A study comparing rural and urban farmers in Ohafia, southeast Nigeria, found that while urban farmers used significantly more purchased inputs than rural farmers, their output was significantly lower. This was attributed to urban farmers being poor and undercapitalized, preventing them from using adequate purchased inputs to maintain soil nutrients. The findings suggest that for urban agriculture to address urban food insecurity, the urban poor require sufficient financial empowerment.
Economic viabilityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageUrban agriculture in metropolitan Lagos: An inventory of potential land and
2008I A Olugbenga, O. T. Adejumo · Eastern Africa Journal of Rural Development · Africa
This paper examined potential land and water resources for urban agriculture in metropolitan Lagos. While urban agriculture positively influences the financial empowerment of the urban poor, who spend 90% of their income on food, the land ownership system in Lagos complicates land access. The study identified 1,197 and 28,890 hectares of potential land resources under Federal, State, and private ownership, respectively.
EconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageAn analysis of the profitability and choice of metropolitan waste-use in urban agriculture of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria
2008C.J. Arene, G.I.O. Mbata · Agricultural Economics (Zemědělská ekonomika) · Nigeria (Abuja)
This study analyzed the profitability of urban agriculture using metropolitan organic waste in Abuja, Nigeria. Results indicated that the enterprise is profitable, with output price being the most important determinant of maximum variable profit. The study also showed that farmers' education level, age, per capita farm income, and household size are important determinants for choosing urban agriculture for food security and environmental quality improvement.
EconomicsOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Agriculture And The Urban Poor In East Africa: Does Policy Matter?
2008Dick Foeken · · Africa
This study analyzed the relationship between urban policy and the practice of urban agriculture by the poor, based on two studies in Nakuru Municipality, Kenya, and Morogoro and Mbeya Municipalities, Tanzania. The legal and policy setting in these towns was found to be confusing, and the poor generally do not benefit from policy measures, if policies exist at all.
Governance failurePolicyWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageDeterminants Of Profitability And Willingness To Pay For Metropolitan Waste-Use In Urban Agriculture Of The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria
2008CJ Arene, G.I.O. Mbata · Agro-Science · Nigeria (Abuja)
This study analyzed the profitability of urban agriculture using metropolitan organic waste in Abuja, Nigeria. The enterprise was found to be profitable, with output price being the most significant determinant of variable profit, while other price factors were not significant. Farmer's education level, age, per capita farm income, and household size were identified as important determinants for choosing urban agriculture and influencing willingness to pay for it.
EconomicsOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPerformance and Challenges of Government Supported Micro and Small Scale Associations in Wolkite and Boutajira City Administrations
2008Adnew, Walelign · National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia · Ethiopia
This study assessed the general performance and challenges of Micro and Small Scale Associations (MSSAs) in Wolkite and Boutajira city administrations, using questionnaires for 92 operators and interviews with 5 officials. Findings revealed that government supports have not ensured the sustainability of these associations, and service provision is not aligned with national strategy. MSSAs exhibit high closure rates, member dropout, fail to create long-term jobs, and show insignificant women's participation.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityInformation needs and seeking behaviour among Urban farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria
2008I. Ogunlade, O. I. Oladele, A. A. Falaki · University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal · Nigeria
This study investigated the socio-economic characteristics, information needs, and seeking behavior of 100 urban farmers in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria, using a structured questionnaire. It found that urban farming was a supplementary activity for highly literate individuals, with farms mainly within the city and more animal than crop production. The study suggested that urban farmers could achieve better results if technical and financial support were provided, and recommended official government recognition for urban farming.
Governance failureEconomicsPolicyCommunityLinking research, capacity building, and policy dialogue in support of informal irrigation in urban West Africa
2008Pay Drechsel, Olufunke Cofie, R. van Veenhuizen, Theophilus O. Larbi · Irrigation and Drainage · West Africa
Informal irrigation in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in West Africa offers benefits but is often hindered by water pollution, threatening public health. A multi-stakeholder process implemented since 2005 in six West African cities, including Accra, Ghana, aimed to integrate UPA into sustainable urban development. However, an internal lesson learned was that local partners may not prioritize every project, and capacity-building efforts might not provide expected incentives for commitment.
Contamination & food safetyPolicyHealthPeri-urban agricultureCommunityAssessing food security status among farming households in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo state, Nigeria.
2008BF Salahu, TO Dauda · Moor Journal of Agricultural Research · Nigeria
The food security status of farming households in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria, was assessed using 89 questionnaires. The study analyzed urban farming and food security factors (energy and protein levels). Education related to urban farming practices was found to influence the food security status of the respondents.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsUrban–rural linkageUrban Farming Communities' Adoption Rates of Smart Agriculture Technologies in Lagos, Nigeria: Performance Evaluations
2008Obiakọ Obinzeiji, Nkwo Nkechi, Chinedu Chukwuma, Ejiije Edemah · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria (Lagos)
This study investigated the adoption rates of smart agriculture technologies among urban farming communities in Lagos, Nigeria. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 200 urban farmers across Lagos, revealing that 78% of respondents had adopted at least one smart agriculture technology. Drip irrigation systems were the most popular, adopted by 35% of farmers. The findings indicate significant interest and initial success in adopting these technologies in Lagos.
Digital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomics