Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 3.3 Urban agriculture in Carapongo
constitutes an important strategy for obtaining income; however, it has
developed in a context of unregulated urban growth, limited access to markets
and restrictive policies.
Urban agriculture: a sustainable livelihood strategy
In order to analyse UA as a livelihood strategy, this section is divided into two
parts. First, the types of assets of urban households involved in agriculture are
discussed. Second, the different gender roles of men and women within the
household are examined in order to present a more nuanced understanding of
UA in Carapongo.
Assets of households practising urban agriculture
As noted above, urban producers use a variety of assets, which they combine
in order to deal with risks and vulnerabilities. These assets are divided into
five categories: natural, physical, human, financial and social.
Natural capital
Access to land - The process of urbanization is having a serious impact on
Carapongo as agricultural fields make way for urban development. Of the
289 ha used for agriculture in 2002, 213 ha remained by 2006: a 26 per cent
reduction. On the other hand, for the same period, the area devoted to housing
increased from 113 to 197 ha, representing a 75 per cent increase (Figure 3.4).
