Research & reports

Nolwazi Z. Khumalo, Melusi Sibanda, Lelethu Mdoda · Sustainability · Sub-Saharan Africa

A systematic review and bibliometric analysis examined the implications of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices and climate adaptation strategies for food and income security in urban Sub-Saharan Africa. The review found that CSA practices boost urban food production and income, but also recognized critical challenges and trade-offs requiring urban agriculture transformation.

Teófilo Etelvino do Amaral, Carlitos Luí­s Sitoie · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Mozambique (Maxixe)

A school garden project was implemented at Escola Secundaria 29 de Setembro da Maxixe in Mozambique, integrating it into the geography curriculum. Research found that geography teachers only taught theoretical content, lacked practical understanding of the geographical relationship with local agricultural production, and did not value food from home gardens. Students and their parents also had no knowledge of vegetable gardens and preferred processed foods, which exacerbated hunger when they lacked money. The school garden was suggested as a means to produce healthy food and generate family income.

Jeffrey Chiwuikem Chiaka, Gengyuan Liu, Hui Li, Wen Zhang, Mingwan Wu, Zhaoman Huo, F. Gonella · Environmental and Sustainability Indicators · Sub-Saharan Africa

This study evaluated land cover change and its drivers using spatial and statistical analysis in 22 designated protected areas (PAs) across the tropical coastal regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Results indicated that food production is prevalent in these protected areas regardless of their designation, and forest loss occurred in most PAs, suggesting weak conservation. Population density was the most significant driver of land cover change, and only 15 out of 22 protected areas showed an increase in their total ecosystem service value.

Abraham Woru Borku, Abera Uncha Utallo, Thomas Toma Tora · Discover Food · Ethiopia

A mixed-methods study in selected towns in Southern Ethiopia surveyed 310 households to identify determinants of urban household vulnerability to food insecurity. The results indicated that 41.3% of households were highly vulnerable, 48.3% moderately vulnerable, and 10.6% not vulnerable. Significant determinants included household ownership of houses, health status, urban agriculture, socio-cultural practices, asset ownership, age, and average monthly income.

Michael Rudolph, Evans Muchesa · Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir landbouvoorligting/South African journal of agricultural extension · South Africa (Johannesburg)

This article explores the potential of agroecology to address health disparities in urban communities in South Africa, where approximately 34% of Johannesburg households face food insecurity. A transdisciplinary literature review, using secondary data from the University of Johannesburg and Siyakhana Growth and Development, posits that an agroecological approach can effectively address food and nutrition insecurity. The study emphasizes the importance of localized food production, personalized training, and a supportive policy framework for urban farming and agroecology.

Mamush Masha, Elias Bojago, Innocent Ngare · Discover Sustainability · Ethiopia

This study investigated the factors influencing the adoption of urban agriculture (UA) as climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices and its impact on food security in Wolaita Sodo City, South Ethiopia. Data from 384 randomly selected urban households showed that 53.53% adopted UA, with significant differences between adopters and non-adopters in employment, UA attitudes, and household size. A logistic regression model identified family size, home ownership, household head's occupation, UA perceptions, market demand, and access to training as determinants of adoption. Propensity score matching confirmed that UA adoption significantly improved food security by 0.685-fold.

Ivica Petríková, Melvine Anyango Otieno, Gertrude Were, Mahmoud Eltholth, Ana Rodriguez‐Mateos, Seeromanie Harding, Victoria Hall Morán, Odipo Osano, Jennifer Cole · Food Security · Kenya

This study investigated the links between peri-urban households' engagement in agriculture, their dietary behavior, and their children's nutrition outcomes around Eldoret, Kenya. Survey data collected from 518 households indicated that peri-urban households involved in agriculture, particularly crop growing and sales, had more diverse and nutritious diets than non-engaged households. However, a significant improvement in children’s health outcomes in these households was observed only when coupled with improved water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions.

Tayech Lemma, Mala Sharma · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Ethiopia

A survey of 272 women in Hossana town, Ethiopia, using a multivariate probit model, identified food security and economic reasons as primary motivations for participating in urban agriculture. Factors such as age, education, marital status, family size, employment, non-urban farm income, farm experience, garden size, credit access, market access, and improved input use significantly influenced participation likelihood.

Mekonen Getachew Abebe · Journal of Agriculture and Food Research · Ethiopia

This review examined empirical evidence on the impacts of urbanization on food security in Ethiopia. The review showed that urbanization compromises all dimensions of food security through reductions in arable land and its productivity, waste dumping, biodiversity depletion, and water and soil pollution. Rapid urbanization leads to reduced production and higher food prices, resulting in a very high prevalence of food insecurity in Ethiopian urban areas. The review noted that Ethiopia has not implemented solutions like urban agriculture to its full potential.

Kebede Tedila Tadesse · Journal of Food Technology & Nutrition Sciences · Ethiopia

This systematic review, conducted at Debre Berhan University, Ethiopia, assessed the role of horticulture in adopting climate-smart agriculture (CSA). Ethiopia's agriculture, which is the backbone of its economy, is adversely affected by climate variability and extreme events. CSA is presented as a primary solution to sustainably increase productivity, enhance resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and achieve food security. The principles of horticulture, including urban and peri-urban agriculture, silviculture, and agroforestry, are highlighted as having a strong capacity to adopt CSA.

Epsar Philip Kopteer, Olakunle Rufus Oladosu, Samuel Adeyemi Samson, Jasini Ali Alwadood, Olaide Monsur Aderoju, Bose Adetutu Ogwurike, Michael Nnaemeka Ihenacho, James Adah John, Philip Okoh Amodu, Nkechinyere Gift Nwagwu, Chikodili Evans Ezurike, Kamila Abba Tukur, Augustine Abah Odeh, Sumaiyat Abdullahi Kpanja, Halimat Ifedolapo Oriola, Vivian Ibrahim, Udya Aniya, Elizabeth Rizga Jackson, Kikelomo Oluwabukola Adebo · World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews · Nigeria (Jos)

This study investigated the economic impact of urban flooding on agricultural activities along the Dilimi River in Jos North LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria, using a 2021 satellite image and GIS analysis. The study found that loss of farmland, hunger and starvation, loss of properties, and high incidence of poverty were perceived as serious economic impacts of floods on farmers. Agricultural land use covered 2.82% of the study area.

Leonard Ninsheka, Edward Ssemakula, Christopher Ewaechabo Tiyo, Rebecca Kalibwani, Ronald Kityo, Wilson Mugizi, Willbroad Byamukama · East African Journal of Agriculture and Biotechnology · Sub-Saharan Africa

This review paper examines existing literature on the effects of urban agriculture on the socio-economic status of urban farmers in Sub-Saharan African cities, specifically focusing on Zambia, South Africa, and Nigeria. The review found scanty information regarding how urban agriculture affects farmers' socio-economic status, how farmers derive social and economic status from it, and the types and motivations of farmers. It concludes that understanding crucial factors for food security, income, and related benefits in urban agriculture is essential for policy and technology development.

Tiegsti Hadush, Tarik Gebrekiros · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Ethiopia (Mekelle)

In Mekelle city, Ethiopia, available open spaces were utilized for crop production after the Tigray siege. This study employed remote sensing and a household survey to assess the area of urban open spaces cultivated after the siege and their contribution to crop production. The open spaces in Mekelle city contributed 2687 hectares of newly cultivated land, producing 3825 tonnes of wheat and 880 tonnes of barley grain.

Gebregziabher Nigus, Mengistu Ketema, Jema Haji, Million Sileshi · Discover Food · Ethiopia

A study was conducted in Eastern Ethiopia using primary data from 270 randomly selected urban farmers to identify factors influencing urban agriculture (UA) market participation decisions and intensity. The first stage of the Double Hurdle (DH) Model indicated that age, education, occupation, family size, farming experience, UA-related training, dependency ratio, and market information significantly impacted the decision to participate in the UA output market. The second stage DH Model showed that education, land size, UA-related training, and market information significantly affected the intensity of UA output market participation.

Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin, Abiola Adegoke, Gertrud Buchenrieder · Land · Nigeria (Lagos)

This exploratory qualitative research, conducted in Lagos, Nigeria, used focus group discussions to compare the perspectives of private urban farmers and public sector representatives on innovative urban farming. Urban farmers identified a lack of public sector support for circular agri-food technologies, while public sector representatives attributed issues to farmers' behavioral and educational shortcomings, including poor coordination. These differing views highlight complex dynamics and a need for structural changes and stakeholder dialogues to develop effective urban farming policies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Jean de Dieu Minengu, Aiko Ikonso Mwengi, Romain Kawanga, Simon Mwengi, Oscar Mangunda Yama · Revue Africaine d’Environnement et d’Agriculture · Africa

Market gardening in Kinshasa's urban and peri-urban areas faces multiple constraints, including land insecurity, low natural soil fertility, the incidence of diseases and pests, weak technical support, climate hazards, poor input supply, and problematic marketing systems. These constraints limit yields in production sites and hinder the development of market gardening activities.

Aristophane Djeufack Dongmo, Désiré Avom · Politics &amp Policy · Africa

This article examined the impact of urbanization and civil conflicts on food insecurity severity across 43 African countries from 2000 to 2020 using heterogeneous choice models. Findings revealed that both urbanization and civil conflict increase food insecurity, with a one-unit increase in urban growth rate raising the probability of high-risk food insecurity by over 0.6 times. The study recommends developing urban agriculture and controlling urbanization to mitigate food insecurity.

Matthijs T. Wessels, Lisa‐Marie Hemerijckx · Development Southern Africa · Sub-Saharan Africa

More than 700 surveys with food vendors and consumers, combined with ethnographic research with farmers, quantified and mapped the contribution of urban and peri-urban producers to fresh leafy vegetable supply in the growing city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Seventy percent of all amaranth consumed in the city was found to be produced within it, with an average farm-to-fork distance of 11 km, indicating a strongly localised foodshed for leafy vegetables. The results point to the ongoing significance of urban areas in meeting their own food demand and the need to explicitly integrate food provisioning into the planning of growing African cities.

Zwelakhe Thulasizwe Mascot Maseko · Journal of Asian and African Studies · South Africa

In Esikhaleni Township, South Africa, structured interviews with local farmers and in-depth interviews with officials from uMhlathuze Municipality examined why residents use urban open spaces for subsistence agriculture and how it affects their livelihoods. Food insecurity, demand for accessible fresh produce, interest in farming, and rising food costs were identified as the main drivers, and open-space agriculture was found to contribute to livelihoods through improved access to fresh food, reduced food expenditure and supplementary income from produce sales, leading to a recommendation that urban planning set aside land for agriculture.

Chernet Assefa, Addisu Getahun, Endale Mekonnen · Middle East Research Journal of Economics and Management · Ethiopia

A participatory demonstration conducted in three districts of the Akaki Kaliti sub-city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the 2021/22 production year, in which a total of 61 farming households (47 male-headed, 14 female-headed) benefited, covering 14 hectares of bread wheat and 30 hectares of teff. The demonstrated technologies produced an average grain yield of 56.66 quintals/hectare for bread wheat and 22.16 quintals/hectare for teff, both higher than the national average. The study concludes that boosting agricultural production requires stakeholder attention to disseminating and adopting improved crop varieties with full production packages, using cluster farming to reduce poverty and ensure food security.

Reyes Tejada N., Kooy M., Zwarteveen M. · Water International · Mozambique (Maputo)

A study grounded in the Infulene Valley, Maputo's main green belt, showing that irrigated urban agriculture drawing on various water sources has been consistently present throughout the Mozambican capital's history. The authors trace how urban planning evolved from 1960 onwards and what those policies meant for urban farming and the livelihoods depending on it. Documenting the city's imaginaries across four eras of Maputo's development, they find that agriculture occupied a prominent place in the post-colonial city and remains significant despite its vague recognition within urban planning after the shift to neoliberalism, and argue for acknowledging urban irrigated agriculture as an intrinsic feature of the city.

Adeline Ngie, Nobukhosi Sithole · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · South Africa (Johannesburg)

A study in Johannesburg, South Africa, assessed urban transformational strategies, including rooftop gardening and hydroponic farming, aimed at improving food security and regenerating infrastructure. Using open-ended interviews with stakeholders, findings indicated improved household food security and income generation, but challenges such as soil and water flow for rooftop gardens persist. Hydroponics faced hurdles like energy supply and input costs, though it showed more promise for land and water resource efficiency.

Chinwe Okonkwo, Ifeoma Nwachukwu, Adebayo Adeyemi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria (Ibadan)

This systematic review synthesized evidence on the determinants of adoption and disadoption of improved cassava planting material (ICPM) by peri-urban smallholders in Ibadan. The review found that disadoption rates can exceed 40% within three seasons post-initial adoption. Perceived Usefulness was the strongest adoption predictor, while Perceived Ease of Use was often compromised by logistical barriers, and vendor trust influenced continued use.

Peter Sanjo Adewale, Sunday Clement Olubunmi Makinde, V. Kusemiju · Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development · Nigeria (Lagos)

This mixed-method study in Lagos State, Nigeria, examined the effects of Urban and Peri-urban Vegetable Production (UPVP) on farmers' livelihood subscales using a Household Livelihood Survey and Focus Group Discussion. The findings indicate that all livelihood subscales (Physical, Natural, Financial, Social, Human) were positively and significantly impacted by UPVP, with a moderately high overall impact. The study concludes that UPVP can be a resilient sector for the economy and sustainable development.

Navjot Sangwan, Luca Tasciotti · Agriculture · Sub-Saharan Africa

This cross-country study analyzed household data from nine Sub-Saharan African countries to investigate the impact of urban agriculture (UA) on household food expenditure and dietary diversity. Using an inverse-probability weighted regression adjustment method, the study found that households engaged in UA reduced overall food expenditure and increased spending on protein-rich foods like nuts, legumes, fruits, dairy, meat, and poultry. The impact of UA varied substantially across the food expenditure distribution.