Urban Agriculture : Findings from Four City Case Studies

Urban agriculture contributes to local
economic development, poverty alleviation, the social
inclusion of the urban poor and women, as well as to the
greening of the city and the productive reuse of urban
wastes. Urban agriculture encompasses a wide variety of
production systems in both urban as well as peri-urban
areas. This study examines the contribution of urban
agriculture to livelihoods, food security, health, and the
urban environment through an assessment of existing urban
agriculture activities among poor households in four
selected cities. Another important benefit from urban
agricultural production is in the cash savings from
self-produced food that would otherwise have to be
purchased. The role and importance of urban agriculture will
likely increase with urbanization and climate change, so the
integration of urban agriculture into development strategies
and policy decisions would be important for long-term
sustainability. This report is structured according to the
basic framework mentioned above. Chapter two then summarizes
the key findings from the four city case studies, analyzing
the profiles of urban agriculture in each city, including
the agricultural practices pursued, access to and use of
urban land, as well as examining the available data for
evidence of the importance of urban agriculture for
livelihoods and food security. Chapter two also discusses
the main findings from the case studies on the constraints
facing urban agriculture. Chapter three then provides
various recommendations for strengthening urban agriculture
and addressing these constraints, recognizing that these
need to be considered in light of the broader urban
development agenda and the many competing priorities that
cities face. The annexes to this report describe the
methodology used for the city case studies, and provide
detailed information on each city, including a general city
profile, the urban agricultural practices in each city, the
inputs used and outputs produced, and the income,
expenditure, dwelling and food consumption profiles of residents.