Does Urban Agriculture help improve women`s resilience to poverty? Evidence from low- income generating women in Bulawayo

Nobuhle Sebata,Clifford Mabhena,Mkhokheli Sithole

doi:10.9790/0837-1943128136

Abstract

This article analyses how women have used Urban Agriculture (UA) as a resilience strategy to poverty in Bulawayo`s high density suburb of Cowdray Park. Women, who are naturally the primary care givers tend to suffer the most in urban areas as quite often they have to bear the responsibility of food provision at home. The article focuses on how UA contributes to food security, employment, income and empowerment for women engaged in the practice. The research for this article is largely qualitative and uses primary data collected from 30 respondents using questionnaires, 5 key informant interviews, 2 focus group discussions and observations. Secondary data from government and non-governmental organisations documents was also used. The results indicate that UA contributes significantly to food availability and access for women engaged in the practice. However nutritional contribution is low and less diverse as farmers concentrate on growing maize than other crops. Income generation is also very low as women concentrate on subsistence production. This article further discusses the relative empowerment function of UA to women. It argues that despite problems encountered by women farmers such as marginalization of UA as a land use activity, shortage of water and lack of institutional support, UA still improved the socioeconomic status and empowered urban women. The article therefore recommends that local authorities set aside land specifically for UA and provide institutional support such as sinking of boreholes and provision of inputs

Highlights

Urban Agriculture is defined as the growing of plants and trees and rearing of livestock within or on the fringes of cities, including related input provision, processing and marketing activities and services (Mougeot, 2006, Sithole et al, 2012)
The nature of education levels is very important in this study because it reveals that education is not a guarantee for securing employment
3.7 Conclusion From the above discussion of results this article concludes that Urban Agriculture (UA) can be a resilience mechanism for women in low income households

Summary

Introduction

Urban Agriculture is defined as the growing of plants and trees and rearing of livestock within or on the fringes of cities (intra-urban and peri urban agriculture, respectively), including related input provision, processing and marketing activities and services (Mougeot, 2006, Sithole et al, 2012). It is a dynamic concept that comprises a variety of livelihood systems ranging from subsistence production and processing at household level to fully commercialized agriculture. Women‟s participation in and contribution to Urban Agriculture has been masked in past studies by reference to a so-called “urban farmer”. This supposedly gender-neutral term suggests an undifferentiated urban dweller who engages in agriculture yet is undoubtedly based on a masculinised norm. Women urban dwellers play pivotal roles in subsistence and market gardening, animal husbandry, food processing, waste recycling and (re)use

Methods

Results

Conclusion