Research & reports

· International Journal of Urban Studies · South Africa

Analyzes potential sites for urban agriculture in Cape Town using multi-criteria decision analysis. Employs GIS analysis and composite evaluation criteria to identify suitable vacant land, rooftops, and community spaces. Proposes integration of food security with urban land use planning.

Kanosvamhira T. · Journal of Urban Affairs · Cape Town, South Africa

While external support from nonprofits and government agencies matters for garden survival, poorly managed support can undermine local ownership and autonomy. The case study shows how governance failures threaten the sustainability of community gardens.

Ahogle et al. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Kenya (Nairobi)

Typology of peri-urban farming in southeastern Nairobi. Analyzes production technologies: open field (24.9%), multi-storey gardens (16.4%), moist-bed gardens (11.9%). Institutional land is largest available (54.2%). Spatial and socioeconomic analysis reveals diversity and adaptability of urban-peri-urban systems.

African Urban Gardening Research Network · National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI/PMC) · Sub-Saharan Africa

Systematic review of 47 peer-reviewed studies across sub-Saharan Africa (2000–2025) showing urban gardens support ecological functions including pollination, soil fertility, and microclimate regulation.

Olawole, M., Green, J., Mwangi, E. · Springer Environmental Science & Technology · Africa

Review of 45 urban agriculture case studies across 12 African countries showing urban farming reduces urban heat island effects by 2-3°C and improves air quality while providing food security for 200+ million residents.

Mike Murphy, Githenya Wachira, Cecilia Onyango, Vivian Hoffmann · Environmental Science and Pollution Research International · Kenya (Nairobi)

A study that randomly sampled leafy greens from farms across Nairobi, Kenya, and measured lead, cadmium and mercury. Mean concentrations were 0.68 ppm lead, 0.09 ppm cadmium and 0.11 ppm mercury; plots closer to roads had higher lead and plots near industrial sites had higher mercury. Leafy greens alone pushed 71% of adults and 69% of children above safe lead exposure limits, and 52% of adults above the mercury limit. Comparison greens sourced from outside Nairobi were similarly contaminated, so the authors do not treat contamination as unique to urban farming and instead call for systematic food surveillance in low- and middle-income countries.

Ermias Debie, Demsew Mengistie · Discover Sustainability · Ethiopia

This study investigated the determinants of Urban Agriculture (UA) and Green Infrastructure (GI) integration in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Data were collected through surveys and analyzed using binary and ordinal logistic regression models. Findings revealed that a lack of awareness and lower education levels, such as no formal and primary education, significantly hinder the integration of UA and GI practices. Conversely, larger residential spaces and household sizes positively influence integration levels, with each additional household member increasing the score by 0.236 units for consumption needs, and each unit increase in residential site size raising the score by 0.004 units due to space availability.

Kassa Moges Tareke · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

This study examined the impact of conditional cash transfers (CTs) from a safety net program on financial inclusion, urban agriculture participation, and food security among 278 women beneficiaries in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, since 2017. After receiving CTs, 94% of respondents owned bank accounts and participated in urban agriculture as an additional income source, improving access to savings, credit, mobile banking, financial advice, and farm incomes. However, 61.5% (171) of women households were food insecure, indicating that while the program moderately improved financial inclusion and slightly increased food-secured women, its overall contribution to food security remains inadequate.

Katie Schofield, Jacqueline Fanta, William Kolong Pioth, Alissa Cook, Samuel Owuor, Cherie Enns · Youth · Kenya

This youth-led study, involving 40 South Sudanese urban refugees (aged 19-32) in Kenya, mapped food supply chains and identified barriers to procuring, growing, and selling food. Findings indicate that improving the quality of life and food security for refugee youth is complex. Without education and improved livelihoods, including urban agricultural opportunities, their health and wellbeing will continue to be negatively affected.

Kejela Gnamura, Michael Akwasi Antwi, Abenet Belete · Research of Economic and Financial Problems · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

This mixed-methods study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, compared 446 households (223 displaced and 223 non-displaced) to investigate the effects of urbanization-induced displacement on economic capital and food security. Evicted households showed a 72.7% lower likelihood of achieving economic capital security and 93.4% reduced odds of maintaining food security compared to non-evicted households, indicating significant negative differences.

Ola Akeem Bayonle, Raheem Wasiu Mayowa · Bioresources and Environment · Nigeria

This study in Ilorin, Nigeria, examined the role of informal land agents in supporting urban agriculture using a cross-sectional survey of 73 informal agents and 303 urban farmers. It found that most agents were male, aged 20-39, and land was primarily acquired through direct contact with owners (72.6%), with location being the main price factor (78.2%). A strong positive correlation was identified between informal land delivery systems and access to agricultural land, indicating these agents bridge gaps in the formal system.

Aminu Zakariyau, Murtala Rabiu · International Journal of Advances in Engineering and Management · Nigeria (Katsina City)

The potential ecotoxicological impacts of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) on soil, plants, and humans in urban Katsina, Nigeria, were assessed. Analysis of soil mixtures and plant biomass (maize and beans) revealed high phytotoxicity in beans, while maize considered MSWC as phytonutrients. No statistical difference in non-biodegradable substance concentrations in soils and plants was found, and ecological risk index (ERI) indicated low risk; however, Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) suggested a likelihood of non-carcinogenic effects to the ecosystem.

Mumuni Adejumo · Journal of Health and Environmental Research · Nigeria (Ibadan)

This cross-sectional study surveyed 312 residents in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Nigeria, to document their knowledge and perception of using greywater for backyard cultivation of native herbs. The findings revealed that 70.7% of participants had poor knowledge about greywater and its use for cultivating local herbs, and 61% held a negative perception. Only 8% of participants reported having used greywater in their residence, with 70.8% of public servants specifically showing negative perceptions.

Meznanat Tame, Kassahun Gashu, Bantayehu Ayalew Workineh · City Territory and Architecture · Ethiopia

In north-west Ethiopia, a study analyzed urban expansion driving factors, compensation, and livelihood coping strategies of displaced farmers surrounding medium-sized towns. Primary data was collected through 350 survey questionnaires, two FGDs, and six key informant interviews. Findings revealed that compensation was mostly cash-based, and social relationships and community values decreased after displacement. The study suggests a need for proper urban land governance with a participatory approach that includes farmers, and for appropriate urban planning and land policy to improve urban land use efficiency.

Taffere Addis, Sisay Ketema, Abayneh Melaku · Frontiers in Water · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

This study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, investigated trace metal levels in sediment, soil, and irrigated vegetables from farms along the Akaki River, evaluating public health risks. Sediment levels of arsenic, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc exceeded threshold effect levels. Soil levels of arsenic, chromium, copper, manganese, and zinc exceeded typical world soil values, with nickel at one site exceeding EEC limits for agricultural soils. Critically, arsenic, lead, and zinc levels in some vegetable samples were above WHO allowable limits, despite soil levels being acceptable, and cadmium was the most accumulated metal in vegetables.

Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira · Urban Transformations · South Africa (Cape Town)

This qualitative study investigated 13 school-based community gardens in low-income townships on the Cape Flats of Cape Town, South Africa, using semi-structured interviews. It found that while these gardens can enhance food security, nutrition, and community development, most urban community gardens in South Africa face significant challenges related to land tenure rights, often requiring negotiation for school land use. The research highlights both the advantages and the challenges of utilizing school land for community gardens.

Lydia Oladoja, Emmanuel Ajibola Olagunju, G. O. Adesina, Oluwakemi Ajayi · Journal of rural and community development · Nigeria (Ogbomoso)

This descriptive survey in Ogbomoso, Nigeria, investigated peri-urban agriculture (PUA) as a means to address food insecurity. Questionnaires were distributed to 60 respondents, including farmers, government employees, traders, and artisans. The findings indicated that more married men and women engaged in farming than unmarried farmers. The study concluded that PUA has significant potential to ensure a constant food supply in Ogbomoso by providing direct access to locally grown food for residents and markets, provided its opportunities and obstacles are adequately managed.

Leemisa Simon Matooane, Abraham R. Matamanda, Johannes Bhanye, Verna Nel · Urban Forum · Africa

This paper examines how urban planning affects food security in Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The analysis identifies common challenges in urban food systems, including urban agriculture integration, food distribution, spatial inequalities, and collaborative governance. Findings suggest that proactive, innovative urban planning tailored to socio-economic contexts can significantly enhance food security.

Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · South Africa (Cape Town)

This study investigated the motivations for urban gardening among low-income residents in Cape Town's Cape Flats, South Africa, using survey data from 97 participants and interviews across 34 community gardens. While 29 out of 34 gardens prioritized income generation, a tension was found between institutional economic objectives and individual gardeners' motivations. Although 76.3% cited economic reasons, all respondents also valued social, health, and environmental benefits, perceiving gardening as a means to enhance well-being and promote sustainable practices despite structural barriers.

Doreen N. Meso, Enos W. Wambu, Gelas Simiyu, Shem M. Mwasi, Thomas Munyao · Discover Environment · Kenya (Kakamega Town)

This study assessed heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils, water, and pumpkin leaves from 21 sites across three zones in peri-urban Kakamega Town, Kenya. It found cadmium pollution in all water samples, and lead and nickel pollution in sections of soil and leafy vegetable samples. Lead pollution was linked to vehicular emissions near the town center, while cadmium enrichment in informal settlements implicated inadequate waste management. Sequential extraction showed 31–35% of soil cadmium was in exchangeable fractions, posing a risk of bioavailability, highlighting persistent heavy metal contamination with implications for public health, environmental sustainability, and agricultural productivity.

Tanvir Ahmed · European Economic Letters (EEL) · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

This study examined factors influencing the growth of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), including urban agriculture, in Bahir Dar city administration, Ethiopia, surveying 385 business owners, managers, service providers, and local leaders. Multiple regression analysis found that entrepreneurial traits, management and marketing abilities, technology, access to funding, market sufficiency, and legal/regulatory frameworks affect MSE growth. However, the survey revealed that many MSEs received lengthy and intricate legal notices, indicating a need for simpler government processes for licensing and registration.

Abdulrazaq Kamal Daudu, S. A. Aderinoye-Abdulwahab, Oyedola Waheed Kareem, Alhassan Abdul‐Wakeel Karakara, Latifat Kehinde Olatinwo, Halimah Olayinka Egbewole · Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship · Nigeria (Southwest Nigeria)

This study surveyed 420 urban farming households in Southwest Nigeria to explore how gender influences access to e-logistics platforms and their impact on farm sales. Findings revealed significant gender gaps, with male-headed households more likely to use and benefit from e-logistics than female-headed households. Women faced additional constraints like limited credit and mobility, and while e-logistics improved overall farm sales and benefited poorer farmers relatively more, gains for women remained smaller than for men.

M. Elusaiwe, K. Atusa, Kanya Hilary · Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research · Nigeria

This study investigated the efficiency of agricultural extension agents in promoting urban gardening among 250 respondents in 10 urban areas across two local government areas in Delta State, Nigeria. Findings revealed that most urban farmers, predominantly female civil servants, married women, or widows, were not visited by extension agents, nor were they encouraged to use growth media or form agricultural societies.

A. Bayat, H. Govera · Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir landbouvoorligting/South African journal of agricultural extension · South Africa (Cape Town)

This study descriptively investigated the vulnerability to shocks and pressures of the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA), a key urban food-producing region in Cape Town, South Africa. Data were collected through surveys with stakeholders from government, the private sector, NGOs, private individuals, and informal settlers. Key findings revealed insufficient governance commitment, a lack of multi-stakeholder collaboration, and the growing threat of urban development on agricultural land.

A. K. Ahmed, Rasheed Abiodun KURANGA, Oluwadara Latifat ISOLA-MUYIDEEN · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science · Nigeria (Ilorin)

This study assessed the sustainability of environmental management practices among peri-urban rice farmers in Ilorin, Nigeria, using a sustainability index. It found that many practices were less sustainable, with 69.51% of farmers relying on chemical sprays and 69.85% using chemical fertilizers. The overall Environmental Management Practices Sustainability Index (EMPSI) for all farmers was 0.492, placing them in the moderately sustainable category.