URBAN AGRICULTURE AS A FOOD SECURITY STRATEGY FOR URBAN DWELLERS: A CASE STUDY OF MKOBA RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF GWERU, ZIMBABWE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2017.32.2645Keywords:
Agriculture, Food Security, Urban, Urban Dwellers, Urban Agriculture, StrategyAbstract
Urban agriculture is a common strategy used by urban dwellers in their endeavor to pursue sustainable food security. This article analyzed the practice of urban agriculture by urban dwellers in the city of Gweru in Zimbabwe, with a specific focus on Mkoba suburb. This qualitative study sought as its objectives, to discuss factors that have contributed to the growth of urban agriculture; to analyze how urban agriculture contributes to the well-being of urban dwellers; to examine the legal framework governing urban agriculture in Zimbabwe; and, to ascertain challenges faced by urban farmers in pursuit of urban agriculture.Purposive sampling was used and data were gathered from 26 participants through interviews and focus group discussions.The findings were that the growth of urban agriculture is influenced by rapid population growth, high levels of poverty, high food prices, and high rate of unemployment. The study further found that urban agriculture promotes food security, provides employment and encourages savings. The Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15; Regional Town Planning Act Chapter 29:12; Environmental Management Act Chapter 20:27; Public Health Act Chapter 15:09; Forestry Act Chapter 19:05; and, the Diary Act Chapter 18:08, all have a bearing on urban agriculture. These Acts do not support, but impede the practice of urban agriculture. There are also challenges that impede the practice of urban agriculture, including the absence of supportive legislation, lack of support from central and local governments, and lack of funding.The study concluded that urban agriculture is an important practice that cannot be dispensed with, as strengthens food security of urban dwellers. The study recommends enactment of supportive legislation, provision of small grants to urban farmers, and creation of farmers associations. Future research should focus on ways of improving the livelihoods of urban farmers. Urban farmers and key stakeholders are largely expected to benefit from the study.
References
Ackerman, K., Dahlgren, E. & Xu, X. (2013). Sustainable Urban Agriculture: Confirming Viable Scenarios for Production. New York: NYSERDA.
Armar-Klemesu, M. (2000). Urban agriculture and food security, nutrition and health, pp 99-117. In: Bakker, N., M. Dubbeling, S. Guendel, U. Sabel Koschella, and H. de Zeeuw (Eds). Growing cities, growing food, urban agriculture on the policy agenda. DSE, Feldafing, Germany.
Armstrong, D. (2000). A survey of community gardens in upstate New York: Implications for health promotion and community development. Health and Place, Vol. 6: 319–327.
Bailkey, M., & Nasr, J. (2000). From brown fields to green fields: Producing food in North American cities. Community Food Security News, Fall 1999/Winter 2000:6Bairwa, SL.,
Lakra, K., Kumar, P. & Kushwaha, S. (2014). Sustainable agriculture and rural livelihood security in India. Journal of Science, Vol. 4(10): 625-631.
Beckie, M., & Bogdan, E. (2010). Planting Roots: Urban agriculture for senior immigrants. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, Vo.1. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2010.012.004
Brown, K.H. & Jameton, A.L. (2000). Public health implications of urban agriculture. Journal of Public Health Policy, Vol. 21:20-39. https://doi.org/10.2307/3343472
Corrigan, M.P. (2011). Growing what you eat: Developing community gardens in Baltimore, Maryland. Applied Geography, Vol. 31(4), 1232–1241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2011.01.017
Das, P. & Das, A. (2017). Environmental vulnerabilities index formulation in fragile ecosystem of the Indian Sundarbans. MATTER: International Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 3(1), 36 – 58. https://dx.doi.org/10.20319/Mijst.2017.31.3658
Diana Lee-Smith et al. (1987). Urban food production and the cooking fuel situation in urban Kenya: National Report — Results of a 1985 National Survey. Nairobi: Mazingira Institute.
Drakakis-Smith, D., Bowyer-Bower, T. & Tevera, D. (1995). Urban poverty and urban agriculture: an overview of the linkages in Harare. In: Habitat International, Vol. 19(2): 183-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/0197-3975(94)00065-A
Dubbeling, M., Bracalenti, L. & Lagorio, L. (2009). Participatory design of public spaces for urban agriculture, Rosario, Argentina. Open House Int, Vol. 34: 36–49.
ENDA-Zimbabwe (1996). Urban agriculture in Harare: results and recommendations of a household survey. Harare: ENDA.
FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations] (2007). Agricultural management, marketing and finance occasional paper: Profitability and sustainability of urban and peri-urban agriculture. Retrieved 10 January 2017, from ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1471e/a1471e00.pdf
FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations] (2013). Resilient livelihoods: Disaster risk reduction for food and nutrition security framework program. Retrieved 04 March 2014, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2540e/i2540e00.pdf
Garcia-Yi, J. (2014). Market Participation and Agro-Biodiversity Loss: The Case of Native Chili Varieties in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru. Sustainability, Vol. Vol.6: 615-630; https://doi.org/10.3390/su6020615
Game, I. & Primus, R. (2015). Urban agriculture: GSDR 2015 Brief, State University of New York, College of Forestry and Environmental Science: New York.
Golden, S. (2013). Urban agriculture impacts: Social, health, and economic: A Literature review. University of California: California.
Government of Zimbabwe (1998). Regional Town and Country Planning Act, Chapter 29:12. Retrieved 10 January 2017, from http://parlzim.gov.zw/acts.../1065_ ...
Government of Zimbabwe (2002a). Urban Councils Act, Chapter 29:15. Retrieved 10 January 2017, from http://parlzim.gov.zw/acts.../councils-act-.
Government of Zimbabwe (2002b). Environmental Management Act, Chapter 20:27. Retrieved 06 December 2016, from http://parlzim.gov.zw/zim47834.pdf
Government of Zimbabwe (2002c). Public Health Act, Chapter 15:09. Retrieved 10 January 2017, from http://parlzim.gov.zw/acts.../public-health.
Government of Zimbabwe (2002d). Forestry Act, Chapter 19:05. Retrieved 06 December 2016, from http://parlzim.gov.zw/zim8943.pdf
Government of Zimbabwe (2002e). Dairy Act Chapter, 18:08. Retrieved 10 January 2017, from http://parlzim.gov.zw/acts.../dairy-act-18.
Hagey, A., Rice, S. & Flournoy, R. (2012). Growing urban agriculture: Equitable strategies and policies for improving access to healthy food and revitalizing communities. Policy Link. Retrieved 06 November 2016, from www.policylink.org
Hamilton, AJ., Burry, K., Mok, H-F., Barker, SF., Grove, JR. & Williamson, VG. (2013). Give peas a chance? Urban agriculture in developing countries: a review Agron. Sustainable Dev, Vol. 34 45–73 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-013-0155-8
Hodgson, K. (2012). Planning for food access and community-based food systems: A national scan and evaluation of local comprehensive and sustainability plans. American Planning Association Report, 1–175.
Holland, L. (2004). Diversity and connections in community gardens: a contribution to local sustainability. Local Environment, 9(3), 285–305. https://doi.org/10.1080/1354983042000219388
Jacobi, P., Amend, J. & Kiango, S. (2000). Urban agriculture in Dar es Salaam: providing for an indispensable part of the diet. In: Growing cities, growing food: urban agriculture on the policy agenda, p. 257-283. DSE, GTZ, CTA, SIDA
King, D. (2014). Deep swimming and murky waters: Phenomenological interviewing - reflections from the field. Education Journal, Vol. 3(3):170-178, Retrieved 20 January 2017, from http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/edu
Kumar, S. (2017). Local knowledge: the human capital for coping with crisis generated by economic blockade. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 3(1): 53 - 66
Larsen, K., & Gilliland, J. (2009). A farmers market in a food desert: Evaluating impacts on the price and availability of healthy food. Health & Place, Vol. 15(4):1158–1162. doi:10.1016/j.health¬place.2009.06.007
Lovell, S.T. (2010). Multifunctional urban agriculture for sustainable land use planning in the United States. Sustainability, Vol. 2: 2499-2522. https://doi.org/10.3390/su2082499
Matteson, K.C. & Langellotto, G.A. (2009). Bumble bee abundance in New York City community gardens: Implications for urban agriculture. Cities and the Environment, 2(1): article 5, 12 pp. http://escholarship.bc.edu/cate/vol2/iss1/5.
Matteson, K.C. (2007). Diversity and conservation of insects in urban gardens: theoretical and applied implications. Dissertation, Fordham University, Bronx, New York. 208 pp.
Metcalf, S.S., & Widener, M.J. (2011). Growing buffalo’s capacity for local food: A systems framework for sustainable agriculture. Applied Geography, Vol. 31(4): 1242–1251. Doi: 10.1016/j. apgeog.2011.01.008
Moyo, P. (2013). Urban Agriculture and Poverty Mitigation in Zimbabwe: Prospects and obstacles in Bulawayo Townships. Journal of Human Ecology, Vol. 42(2): 125-133
Moyo, S. (2011). Land concentration and accumulation after redistributive reform in post-settler Zimbabwe. Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 38:257–276. https://doi.org/10.1080/03056244.2011.582763
Mougeot, L.J.A. (2000). Urban agriculture: definition, presence, potentials and risks. In Growing Cities, Growing Food: Urban Agriculture on the Policy Agenda. A Reader on Urban Agriculture (Eds N. Bakker, M. Dubbeling, S. Gündel, U. Sabel-Koschella & H. De Zeeuw), pp. 99–117. Feldang, Germany: DSE/ETC.
Mudekwe, J. (2007). Management practices for the protection of forest reserves: The case of Kalahari sand teak forest reserves in Western Zimbabwe, FAO, Rome, viewed 01 January 2015, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ j9533e/ J9533E00.htm#TopOfPage
Murphy, C. (2004). Cultivating Havana: Urban agriculture and food security in the years of cri-sis. Food First Institute for Food and Development Policy: Development Report, No. 12, pp. 1–57.
Nasr, J., MacRae, R.M. & Kuhns, J. (2010). Scaling up urban agriculture in Toronto: Building the infrastructure. Metcalf Foundation: Toronto
Nugent, R.A. (2001). Economic impact of urban and peri-urban agriculture. Annotated bibliography on urban agriculture, 1–5.
Orsini, F., Kahane, R. Nono-Womdim, R. & Gianquinto, G. 2013. Urban agriculture in the developing world: A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-013-0143-z
Park, Y., Quinn, J., Florez, K., Jacobson, J., Neckerman, K., & Rundle, A. (2011). Hispanic immigrant women’s perspective on healthy foods and the New York City retail food environment: A mixed-method study. Social Science & Medicine, Vol. 73(1): 13–21. Doi: 10.1016/j. socscimed.2011.04.012
Potutan, G.E., Schnitzler, W.H., Arnado, J.M., Janubas, L.G. & Holmer, R.J. (2000). Urban agriculture in Cagayan de Oro: a favourable response of city government and NGOs. In: Growing cities, growing food: urban agriculture on the policy agenda, p. 413-428. DSE, GTZ, CTA, SIDA
Rauf, R.A.A. (2015). Improving attitude towards green environment awareness through the SLGEA-Code Module. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences. GRDS International Conference, 20 – 21 September, 2015.
Saldivar-Tanaka, L. & Krasny, M.E. (2004). Culturing community development, neighbourhood open space, and civic agriculture: The case of Latino community gardens in New York City. Agriculture and Human Values, Vol. 21: 399–412. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:AHUM.0000047207.57128.a5
Smit, J., Ratta, A. & Nasr, J. (1996). Urban agriculture: Food, jobs and sustainable cities (pp. 1– 7). UNDP, Habitat II Series.
SPUR (2012). Public harvest. SPUR Report, 1–36.
Suarez-Balcazar, Y. (2006). African-Americans’ views on access to healthy foods. What a farmers’ market provides. Journal of Extension, Vol. 44(2): 1–7.
Teig, E., Amulya, J., Bardwell, L., Buchenau, M., Marshall, J. A., & Litt, J. S. (2009). Collective efficacy in Denver, Colorado Strengthening neighbourhoods and health through community gardens. Health & Place, Vol. 15(4):1115–1122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.06.003
Toriro S, (1995). Urban planning and agriculture in Harare: Practices and lessons. Urban Agriculture Magazine, Vol. 1.
Van Veenhuizen, R. (2006). Cities farming for the future. Urban agriculture for sustainable cities, RUAF Foundation, IDRC and IIRR
Van Veenhuizen, R. & Danso, G. (2007). Profitability and sustainability of urban and peri-urban agriculture. FAO Agricultural Management, Marketing and Finance Occasional Paper No 19. Rome: FAO.
Waters-Bayer, A. (2000). Learning to live with livestock in town. In: Urban Agriculture Magazine, no. 1, Maiden Issue, July 2000, RUAF: Leusden.
Zimbabwe Government [GoZ] & United Nations Development Program [UNDP] (2011). Poverty assessment study survey II, main report. Ministry of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare: Harare.
Zimstat (2002). Census 2002 National Report. Retrieved 10 November 2016, from http://www. zimstat.co.zw/documents/census
Zimstat (2012). Census 2012 National Report. Retrieved 06 October 2016, from http://www. zimstat.co.zw/documents/census
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2017 Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
