Research & reports

Pay 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.

Anselm 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.

I 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.

C.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.

Dick 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.

CJ 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.

Adnew, 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.

I. 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.

Pay 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.

BF 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.

Obiakọ 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.

M. B. David · African Affairs · Kenya

This study on urban agriculture in the Kenyan town of Nakuru illustrates health and environmental problems associated with keeping livestock in urban areas, the small size of plots cultivated, and the dependence of urban households on rural sources of food. These findings were observed in the context of economic hardships occasioned by structural adjustment programmes since the 1980s.

Prosper Nguegang Asaa, Véronique Joiris, Jean Lejoly, Isaac Roger Tchouamo · · Africa

This study characterizes urban and peri-urban agriculture in Yaoundé, Cameroon, that has emerged amid rapid urbanization unaccompanied by economic growth, analyzing the interaction of actor types, space types, crops, products, and average incomes. The analysis found this agriculture employs close to 2,000 people, mostly young people and especially women with an average age of 35, concentrated on land under heavy pressure — marshy lowlands, foot of slopes, and roadsides. Crops were mainly vegetables, food staples, and flowers, varying across the urban ring, peri-urban zone, and rural hinterland. Marketing occurred through long, short, and direct circuits, with prices set by demand rather than fixed in advance. Profitability analysis of celery, ndolé, and black nightshade accounts found an average daily gain of about three euros per producer, and some market gardeners reported preferring to stay in their gardens rather than take a roughly 75-euro/month wage job; the study also found no legal or regulatory framework governing the activity, and no law authorizing it.

George Danso, Pay Drechsel, Olufunke Cofie · CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) · Sub-Saharan Africa

A book chapter (in Parrot, Njoya, Temple, Assogba-Komlan, Kahane, Ba Diao and Havard, eds., "Agriculture and urban development in Sub-Saharan Africa: environment and health issues," L'Harmattan, 2008) addresses large-scale urban waste composting for urban and peri-urban agriculture in West Africa as an integrated approach to support municipal authority decision-making. The abstract provided is only the editorial citation, with no method or findings stated.

Alex Thornton, Etienne Nel · Africanus Journal of Development Studies · South Africa (Peddie)

This study investigated the significance of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) as a livelihoods strategy in Peddie, Eastern Cape province, South Africa, based on a PhD study. The findings indicate that UPA is not as significant or widely practiced as often assumed, despite its potential to address food insecurity and generate income. Its development has been slowed by various structural historical and socioeconomic barriers, limiting its current impact.

B. J. Njokwe, Maxwell Mudhara · · South Africa

In Msunduzi Municipality, South Africa, urban residents, particularly women and children, engage in agriculture due to poverty and high unemployment rates. This practice, often carried over from rural community gardens, helps alleviate poverty, especially for families affected by HIV/Aids who lack income.

Femi Oladipo, Chinedu Nwankwo, Ifokwe复原了你的信息,这里是我按照要求生成的3个符合要求的全名, Tayo · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria (Lagos)

Urban farming initiatives are widespread in Lagos, Nigeria, aiming to address food security challenges for low-income residents. This research employed participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with community leaders, farmers, and residents over a six-month period. Farmers reported that approximately 70% of their produce was consumed by the local community, indicating a direct impact on food security.

Kanini Muthoni · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Kenya

This study used mixed-methods, including surveys, focus groups, and interviews, to assess community gardens in rural Western Kenya. Engagement levels in the gardens ranged from 75% to 80%, with vegetable cultivation being a key theme in nutrition education. The study found that effective community engagement and targeted nutrition education significantly contribute to the sustainability of these projects, especially in promoting sustainable food production.

Dick Foeken, Samuel Owuor · Leiden Repository (Leiden University) · Kenya (Nakuru)

A survey was conducted in June 2006 among primary and secondary schools in Nakuru town, Kenya, to examine school farming and school feeding practices. Data on school characteristics, school farming activities, and school feeding practices were collected using a structured questionnaire. The study showed that school farming is very common in Nakuru town, with almost all schools engaged in flower gardening and tree growing, over half practicing crop cultivation, and some keeping livestock.

Fasil Desta, Kebede Mekonnen, Girma Abayor, Ayehu Alemayehu · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ethiopia

Community garden adoption and economic empowerment in Ethiopian urban slums were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach incorporating surveys and focus group discussions. Community gardens were adopted by 45% of surveyed households, with higher adoption rates observed in areas with better access to water sources. The study highlights the potential for community gardens as an inclusive strategy for improving food security and economic conditions in Ethiopian slums.

Francis Owusu · Journal of Planning Education and Research · Africa

This paper proposes the "multiple modes of livelihood" (MML) approach to understand contemporary livelihood strategies in African cities, which often involve participation in multiple economic activities across formal and informal sectors. The study presents evidence of the magnitude of this strategy and the types of activities undertaken. It suggests that the importance of urban agriculture, among other factors, indicates a need to indigenize urban planning in Africa.

Jonathan Crush, Miriam Grant, Bruce Frayne, Southern African Migration · · Africa

This literature review examines the complex interactions between migration, HIV/AIDS, and urban food security in Southern and Eastern Africa, noting that these links are poorly researched and understood. It highlights that while past research focused on urban acquisition and production, less attention has been paid to rural-urban linkages and their embedment in migration systems. Recent studies indicate that strong rural-urban connections, including increasing direct food transfers from rural to urban households, are crucial for urban households' coping strategies.

Voster Ineke H.J, Jansen van Rensburg Willem, Van Zijl J.J.B, Venter Sonja L · African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development · South Africa

In South Africa, traditional leafy vegetables have been labeled as weeds since the 1960s, leading to a negative perception and unwillingness to use them. Awareness activities in six communities, including training sessions in seven schools and eight community gardens, aimed to improve the status of these crops. These activities resulted in increased awareness of their poor conservation status, appointment of seed keepers, and a noticeable increase in demand for seeds and production training.

Mure Agbonlahor, S. Momoh, A. O. Dipeolu · International Journal of Vegetable Science · Africa

A sample survey of 242 urban vegetable farmers conducted through March 2006 examined production efficiency and its determinants in fadama agriculture — flood-plain cropping of short-duration crops on low-lying, seasonally flooded land — in urban southwestern Nigeria, using a stochastic frontier model. Mean farm size was 0.54 hectares and mean producer age was 42.6 years, while mean technical efficiency was only 74.36%, with the main sources of inefficiency identified as labor employment and the use of land and seed/cultivar resources; the most common crop combination was Telfaria occidentale, Amaranthus hybridus and Zea mays.

Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab, University at Buffalo · Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab, University at Buffalo · South Africa

A database entry from the University at Buffalo's Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab describing Cape Town's Urban Agriculture Policy, adopted 7 December 2006, aimed at food security and economic development for poor and disadvantaged residents, and noting the city's population as 433,688 (population range 250,000-999,999).