Abstract
Urban agriculture has, forcenturies, served as a vital input in thelivelihood strategies of urban households inthe developing countries. As a response to theeconomic crises exacerbated by the structuraladjustment programs and increasing migration,urban agriculture has expanded rapidly withinthe last 20 years. An examination of thegeneral trends in urban agriculture reveals anumber of issues policy-makers in developingcountries should address to provide services toensure a sustainable behavior towards urbancultivation. Most important is the legalizationof urban agriculture as a step towards securinglands for the urban poor. The illegal statushas left a governance vacuum, which should befilled through policy formulation and regularinstitutionalized management in a participatorymanner including all relevant stakeholders iffood security has to be increased andenvironment improved in an urban developmentcontext.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atukunda, G. and D. Maxwell (1996). “Farming in the city of Kampala: Issues for urban management.” African Urban Quarterly 11(2- 3): 264–275.
Borgue, M. (2000). “Policy options for urban agriculture.” In N. Bakker, M. Dubelling, S. Gundel, V. Sabel-Koschella, and A. Zeeuw (eds.), Growing Cities, Growing Food: Urban Agriculture on the Policy Agenda. Feldafing, Germany: Food and Agriculture Development Centre (ZEL).
Bowyer-Bower, T. A. S. and D. Smith (2000). “Africa's backyard farms boost food security. But are they harming urban life?” DFID: homepage, ID21.
Deelstra, T. and H. Girardet (2000). “Urban agriculture and sustainable cities.” In N. Bakker, M. Dubelling, S. Gundel, V. Sabel-Koschella, and A. Zeeuw (eds.), Growing Cities, Growing Food: Urban Agriculture on the Policy Agenda. Feldafing, Germany: Food and Agriculture Development Centre (ZEL).
Dennery, P. R. (1996). “Urban food producers' decision making: A case study of Kibera, city of Nairobi, Kenya.” African Urban Quarterly 11(2/3): 189–200.
Drakakis-Smith, D. (1993). “Food security and food policy for the urban poor.” In J. Dahl, D. Drakakis-Smith, and A. Narman (eds.), Land, Food and Basic Needs in Developing Countries. Göteborg, Sweden: Department of Human and Economic Geography, University of Göteborg.
Freeman, D. B. (1993). “Survival strategy or business training ground? The significance of urban agriculture for the advancement of women in African cities.” African Studies Review 36(3): 1–22.
Furedy, C., V. Maclaren, and J. Whitney (1999). “Reuse of waste for food production in Asian cities: Health and economic perspectives.” In M. Koc, R. MacRae, J. L. Mougeot, and J. Welsh (eds.), For Hunger-Proof Cities: Sustainable Urban Food Systems. Ottowa, Canada: International Development Research Centre.
Fæ rge, J., J. Magid, and F. W. T. P. de Vries (2001). “Urban nutrient balance for Bangkok.” Ecological Modelling 139: 63–74.
Lourenco-Lindell, I. (1996). “How do the urban poor stay alive? Food provision in a squatter settlement of Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.” African Urban Quarterly 11(2/3): 163–168.
Maxwell, D. (1995). “Alternative food security strategy: A household analysis of urban agriculture in Kampala.” World Development 23(10): 1669–1681.
Maxwell, D. (1999). “The political economy of urban food security in Sub-Saharan Africa.” World Development 27(11): 1939–1953.
Mbiba, B. (1995a). Urban Agriculture in Zimbabwe, Implications for Urban Management and Poverty. England: Avebury.
Mbiba, B. (1995b). “Classification and description of urban agriculture in Harare.” Development Southern Africa 12(1): 75–86.
Mwalukasa, M. (2000). “Institutional aspects of urban agriculture in the city of Dar Es Salaam.” In N. Bakker, M. Dubelling, S. Gundel, V. Sabel-Koschella, and A. Zeeuw (eds.), Growing Cities, Growing Food: Urban Agriculture on the Policy Agenda. Feldafing, Germany: Food and Agriculture Development Centre (ZEL).
Nugent, R. (2000). “The impact of urban agriculture on the household and local economies.” In N. Bakker, M. Dubelling, S. Gundel, V. Sabel-Koschella, and A. Zeeuw (eds.), Growing Cities, Growing Food: Urban Agriculture on the Policy Agenda. Feldafing, Germany: Food and Agriculture Development Centre (ZEL).
Nunan, F. and D. K. Shindhe (2000). “Waste not want not: Making the most of urban organic waste.” Retrieved from http://www.id2l.org/zinter/id2lzinter.exe?a=l&i=2cfn3&u=3e24f95f.
Potts, D. (1997). “Urban lives: Adopting new strategies and adapting rural links.” In C. Rakodi (ed.), The Urban Challenge in Africa. Geneva: United Nations University Press.
Rahnema (1992). “Poverty.” In W. Sachs (ed.), The Development Dictionary: A Guide to Knowledge as Power. London: Zed Books.
Ratta, A. and J. Nasr (1996). “Urban agriculture and the African urban food supply system.” African Urban Quarterly 11(2/3): 154–161.
Rigg, J. (1998). “Rural-urban interactions, agriculture and wealth: A southeast Asian perspective.” Progress in Human Geography 22(4): 497–522.
Rogerson, C.M. (1997). “Globalization of informalization? African Urban economies in the 1990s.” In C. Rakodi (ed.), The Urban Challenge in Africa. Geneva: United Nations University Press.
Scott, J. (1993). “Urban agriculture: A response to the impact of structural adjustment measures.” In A. Goodland (ed.), Feeding Urban Africa. Wye, UK: Wye College Press.
Sen, A. (1987). “The standard of living: Lecture I, concepts and critiques.” In G. Hawtorne (ed.), The Standard of Living. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Smith, D. (1996). “Urban agriculture in Harare: socio-economic dimensions of a survival strategy.” In D. Grossman, L.M. van den Berg, and H. I. Ajaegbu (eds.), Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture in Africa: Proceedings of a Workshop: Netanya, Israel, 23- 27 June. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate Publishing.
Tacoli, C. (1998). “Beyond the rural-urban divide.” Environment and Urbanization 10(1): 3–5.
UNDP (1996). Urban Agriculture - Food, Jobs and Sustainable Cities. New York: United Nations Development Programme Publication Series for Habitat II, Volume One.
Zeeuw, H., S. Guendel, and H. Waibel (2000). “The integration of agriculture in urban policies.” In N. Bakker, M. Dubelling, S. Gundel, V. Sabel-Koschella, and A. Zeeuw (eds.), Growing Cities, Growing Food: Urban Agriculture on the Policy Agenda. Feldafing, Germany: Food and Agriculture Development Centre (ZEL).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bryld, E. Potentials, problems, and policy implications for urban agriculture in developing countries. Agriculture and Human Values 20, 79–86 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022464607153
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022464607153