Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
13.2
Urbanization and Urban and Peri-Urban
Agriculture
During the first decade of the twenty-first century, sub-Saharan African cities have
faced increasing levels of poverty and deteriorating of urban environments as a
result of rapid urban growth following massive rural exodus and high birth rate.
Many factors are pointed out, including the on-going impact of externally imposed
structural adjustment programs, the massive rise in both staple food prices and oil
prices (Ravallion et al. 2007 ; Potts 2009 ). According to the UN-Habitat ( 2006 ), sub-
Saharan Africa was the least urbanized part of the world by 2005, with 36 % of its
750 million people living in cities and towns. However, between 1990 and 2005, the
urban population growth was by far the highest: 4.58 % per annum; with an estimat-
ed 200 million people that were living in slums. The rapid urbanization faces many
challenges, namely problems of basic infrastructures, water and food supply. Rapid
and uncontrolled urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa, results in serious decline of
environmental quality and agricultural resources which lead to food insecurity.
UPA can be defined as the production of crops and rearing of livestock in urban
and peri-urban areas, it is a source of food and employment in urban areas, involv-
ing almost all social groups (Yeung 1988 ; Obudho and Foeken 1999 ; Page 2002 ).
UPA is an old phenomenon, but recently it has expanded in many cities, especially
those in developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, UPA supports a significant
number of households in terms of income and food supply (Mougeot 2000 ). In
2006, the number of urban farmers in the world was estimated to be over 200 mil-
lion, supporting a total population of over 700 million people (Mougeot 2006 ). UPA
in sub Saharan Africa was portrayed as an ingenious, heroic response to the rigours
of structural adjustments which provided a key coping strategy for the urban poor
in response to inadequate, unreliable and irregular access to food supplies (Sawio
1993 ; Smit et al. 1996 ); nowadays, it is fully integrated in the cities living and has
to be integrated into agricultural policies and urban planning. Agricultural activi-
ties usually take place along roadsides, rivers and river valleys, in wetlands, in the
middle of roundabouts, in open spaces and parks, under power lines and within
backyards of residential plots.
The real impact of urban agriculture in term poverty alleviation and socio-econom-
ic development in urban areas are still to be debated since they are those who argue
that the practice is beneficial to the urban poor (Memon and Lee-Smith 1993 ), while
others views urban agriculture as of little or no consequence as a strategy for poverty
alleviation and rather as a harmful activity, no suitable in urban life (Kulaba 1989 ).
13.2.1
Benefits of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture
In 1996, at the united international conference on human habitats, UPA was rec-
ognized for the first time for its contribution to the health and welfare of the fast
growing population worldwide. It is generally admitted that UPA contributes to the
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