Abstract
Increased interest in urban food security across Southern Africa is a welcome development, particularly given the considerable challenges faced by slum dwellers in accessing food. In Malawi, high urbanization rates, coupled with stagnant economic growth, have stimulated the expansion of slums and highlighted increasing poverty. While other researchers have noted the importance of geographic variance within countries of SSA, there still exists the need to elucidate geographic variance of urban food security within cities. Based on data from Kauma and Mgona settlements, this article argues for the incorporation of situation geography. We discovered that their respective geographies governed both levels of food insecurity and livelihood strategies. Peri-urban Kauma residents accessed multiple livelihood opportunities including satellite urban farming and ganyu (piecework), both of which were more inaccessible for residents of inner city, industrial Mgona. Kauma residents spread risk by employing different strategies, which translated to lower levels of food insecurity. This finding reaffirms the need for geographical, context-based strategies for alleviating urban food insecurity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
Data available upon request.
Code Availability
Coding available upon request.
Notes
Kantanyeni, a female respondent from Kauma.
Relish takes many forms and includes meat, vegetables, fish, and beans, but does not include starchy foods.
Sigele, a female respondent from Kauma.
Asale, a female respondent from Kauma.
Wamgaiwa refers to maize meal where the bran of the seed is not removed before grinding. This makes the resulting nsima healthier; however, it gives it a rougher texture, making it less popular.
Mphatso, a male respondent from Mgona.
Similar to tilapia.
Tauya, a male respondent from Kauma.
Sigele, a female respondent from Kauma.
Tafadzwa, a female respondent from Kauma.
Dumi, a male respondent from Mgona.
Mesi, a female respondent from Kauma.
Wema, a female respondent from Mgona.
Chifundo, a male respondent from Mgona.
Faye, a female respondent from Kauma.
Rumbidzai, a female respondent from Kauma.
Tiyamike, a female respondent from Mgona.
Kantanyeni, a female respondent from Kauma.
Chirumu, a male respondent from Kauma.
Tiyamike, a female respondent from Mgona.
Tiyamike, a female respondent from Mgona.
Pilirani, a female respondent from Mgona.
References
Andersson, A. (2011). Maize remittances, smallholder livelihoods and maize consumption in Malawi. Journal of Modern African Studies, 49(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022278X10000637
Blekking, J., Tuholske, C., & Evans, T. (2017). Adaptive governance and market heterogeneity: An institutional analysis of an urban food system in sub-Saharan Africa. Sustainability, 9(12), 2191. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9122191
Bryant, C. (1988). Poverty, policy, and food security in Southern Africa. Mansell Publishing.
Chilanga, E., Riley, L., Ngwira, J., Chalinda, C., and Masitala L. (2017). Food insecurity in informal settlements in Lilongwe, Malawi. African Food Security Urban Network, Urban Food (No.25). http://www.afsun.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/AFSUN25.pdf. Accessed 31 Mar 2018
Cohen, M. J., & Garrett, J. L. (2010). The food price crisis and urban food (in)security. Environment and Urbanization, 22(2), 467–482. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956247810380375
Crush, J., & Frayne, B. (2014). Feeding African cities: The growing challenge of urban food security. In S. Parnell & E. Pieterse (Eds.), Africa’s urban revolution: Policy pressures (pp. 110–132). Zed Books.
Crush, J., Grant, M., & Frayne, B. (2007). Linking migration, HIV/AIDS and urban food security in Southern and Eastern Africa. African Migration and Development Series No. 3. http://www.africanbookscollective.com/books/linking-migration-hiv-aids-and-urban-food-security-in-southern-andeastern-africa/LinkingMigration-Introduction.pdf. Accessed 27 Jan 2022.
Crush, J., Hovorka, A., & Tevera, D. (2010). Urban food production and household food security in Southern African cities. In Urban Food Security Series No. 4. Kingston and Cape Town: AFSUN.
Frayne, B. (2010). Pathways of food: Mobility and food transfers in Southern African cities. International Development Planning Review, 32(3), 291–310. https://doi.org/10.3828/idpr.2010.10
Frayne, B., Pendleton, W., Crush, J., Acquah, B., Battersby-Lennard, J., Bras, E., Chiweza, A., Dlamini, T., Fincham, R., Kroll, F., Leduka, C., Mosha, A., Mulenga, C., Mvula, P., Pomuti, A., Raimiundo, I., Rudolph, M., Ruysenaa, S., Simelane, N., Tevera, D., Tsoka, M., Tawodzera, G., & Zanamwe, L. (2010). The state of urban food insecurity in Southern Africa. No. 2, Progress in Development Studies (No. 2). Cape Town: AFSUN.
Frayne, B., McCordic, C., and Shilomboleni, H. (2016). The mythology of urban agriculture. In: J. Crush and J. Battersby (eds) Rapid urbanization, urban food deserts and food security in Africa, pp. 19–32. Switzerland: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43567-1
Gregory, P., Ingram, J., & Brklacich, M. (2005). Climate change and food security. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society b: Biological Sciences, 360(1463), 2139–2148. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2005.1745
Hampwaye, G. (2008). Decentralisation, local economic development and urban agriculture in Zambia. pp. 1–107, Ph.D. Dissertation, Johannesburg: University of Witwatersrand. Available at: http://www.wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/5214. Accessed 31 Mar 2018
Haysom, G., & Tawodzera, G. (2018). “Measurement drives diagnosis and response”: Gaps in transferring food security assessment to the urban scale. Food Policy, 74, 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2017.12.001
Ivanic, M., & Martin, W. (2008). Implications of higher global food prices for poverty in low-income countries. Agricultural Economics, 39(s1), 405–416. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-0862.2008.00347.x
Lorenz, K. (2015). Organic urban agriculture: Technical article. Social Science, 180(4), 146–153. https://doi.org/10.1097/SS.0000000000000129
Mackay, H. (2018). Mapping and characterising the urban agricultural landscape of two intermediate-sized Ghanaian cities. Land Use Policy, 70, 182–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.10.031
Mackay, H., Mugagga, F., Kakooza, L., & Chiwona-Karltun, L. (2017). Doing things their way? Food, farming and health in two Ugandan cities. Cities & Health, 1(2), 147–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2017.1414425
Manda, M. A. (2013). Situation of urbanisation in Malawi report. Malawi Government Ministry of Lands and Housing, Malawi Government. https://www.academia.edu/download/34955944/Situation_of_urbanisation_final_report_july_2013.pdf
Mann, M., & Kump, L. (2008). Dire predictions: Understanding global warming (pp. 1–208). Prentice Hall. Available at: http://www.books.google.ca/books?id=E1yKHwAACAAJ. Accessed 27 Jan 2022.
Masvaure, S. (2016). Coping with food poverty in cities: The case of urban agriculture in Glen Norah township in Harare. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 31(3), 202–213. https://doi.org/10.1017/S17421705000101
Mkwambisi, D., Fraser, E., & Dougill, A. (2011). Urban agriculture and poverty reduction: Evaluating how food production in cities contributes to food security, employment and income in Malawi. Journal of International Development, 23(2), 181–203. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.1657
Mpoola, D., Chanza, C., Nankuyu, F., Kamela, H., Kaunda, M., Chirambo, A., ... & Chome, J. (2011). Malawi: Lilongwe Urban Profile. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Available at https://www.unhabitat.org/malawi-lilongwe-urban-profile
Mpoola, D., Chanza, C., Nankuyu, F., Kamela, H., Kaunda, M., Chirambo, A., ... & Chome, J. (2012). Malawi: National Urban Profile. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Available at https://www.unhabitat.org/malawi-national-urban-profile-2
NSO (Malawi National Statistical Office). (2018). 2018 Malawi Population and Housing Census, Main Report. Government of Malawi, Lilongwe. 2019. Available at: https://www.malawi.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resourcepdf/2018%20Malawi%20Population%20and%20Housing%20Census%20Main%20Report%20%281%29.pdf. Accessed 27 Jan 2022
Poulsen, M., McNab, P., Clayton, M., & Neff, R. (2015). A systemic review of urban agriculture and food security impacts in low-income countries. Food Policy, 55, 131–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2015.07.002
Rane, S. (2011). Street vended food in developing world: Hazard analyses. Indian Journal of Microbiology, 51(1), 100–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12088-011-0154-x
Riley, L., & Dodson, B. (2014). Gendered mobilities and food access in Blantyre. Malawi. Urban Forum, 25(2), 227–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-014-9223-7
Rudolph, M., Kroll, F., Ruysenaar, S., & Dlamini, T. (2012). The state of food insecurity in Johannesburg. In Urban Food Security Series No. 12. Kingston and Cape Town: Queens University and AFSUN. Available at https://www.syrialearning.org/system/files/content/resource/files/main/afsun-12.pdf
Ruel, M., & Garrett, J. (1999). Overview. World Development, 27(11), 1885.
Tacoli, C. (2017). Food (in) security in rapidly urbanising, low-income contexts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(12), 1554. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14121554
Tevera, D., & Simelane, N. (2014). Food for the urban poor: Safety nets and food-based social protection in Manzini. Swaziland. Urban Forum, 25(2), 241–252. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-014-9226-4
Tuholske, C., Andam, K., Blekking, J., Evans, T., & Caylor, K. (2020). Comparing measures of urban food security in Accra, Ghana. Food Security, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01011-4
UN DESA. (2015). World population prospects: The 2015 Revision, Volume I: Comprehensive Tables (ST/ESA/SER.A/379). Available at: https://www.shorturl.at/IN489
UN DESA. (2019). World urbanization prospects 2018: Highlights (ST/ESA/SER.A/421)
UN-HABITAT. (2013). State of the world’s cities 2012/2013: Prosperity of cities. Taylor and Francis. Available at: https://www.books.google.ca/books?id=8mSMAgAAQBAJ. Accessed 27 Jan 2022.
World Bank. (2018). Population living in slums (% of urban population) - Malawi United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Online https://www.data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.SLUM.UR.ZS?locations=MW. Accessed 27 Jan 2022.
World Bank. (2020a). Consumer price index (2010 = 100) - Malawi International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics and data files. Online: https://www.data.worldbank.org/indicator/FP.CPI.TOTL?end=2020a/locations=MW&start=2012. Accessed 27 Jan 2022.
World Bank. (2020b). DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) – Malawi 2010 – 2020. International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics, supplemented by World Bank staff estimates. [Online] https://www.data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.ALTS?end=2020b/locations=MW&start=2009. Accessed 27 Jan 2022.
Funding
This study was funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Doctoral Research Award.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics Approval
This study is compliant with ethical standards set by the University of Calgary (Certificate of Institutional Ethics Review # 7296).
Competing Interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Mambo, T., Grant, M. “Money has the final say in the market”: the Situational Geography of Urban Food Security in Lilongwe, Malawi. Urban Forum (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-023-09498-8
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-023-09498-8