Enhancing Food Security and Economic Welfare through Urban Agriculture in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is becoming increasingly urbanized, and with this accelerating process comes a host of socio-economic challenges. Rapid urbanization process has resulted in increase urban food insecurity and malnutrition, especially on the side of tandem increase in urban poverty. Urban poverty and food shortage are taking root in Zimbabwe, as a result increased food production and access becomes critical to achieving major nutritional improvement and addressing food insecurity. In the face of urban food shortages, the present paradigm of rural food production cannot meet the challenges of the new millennium. It is hardly surprising that increasing umbers of urbanites are looking to grow their own food, if only to supplement their family food needs. Food is one of the basic needs and urban agriculture, both legal and illegal, has grown as a consequence of the difficult economic climate. Many urban households lack adequate amounts of foods that are rich in the nutrients needed for health and a productive life. It is against this background of increasing urban poverty that this discussion puts forward some suggestions for promoting urban agriculture. Urban agriculture has diverse economic, social and ecological functions and can be valued as one of the agricultural sectors having enormous potential to contribute to food security in Zimbabwe. In this discussion the role of urban agriculture in improving nutrition and food security is highlighted. Urban areas are becoming more 'modern' in their patterns of consumption than in their patterns of production, and there is a danger that the urban poor will become more and more marginalized while, at the other extreme, a small increasingly wealthy elite develops. The demand for food due to increased urbanization is predicted to grow faster than production resulting in a growing food deficit and insecurity in urban areas. Strategies which foster gender equality in urban food production will impact positively on food production, which may translate into expanded food production base to meet the needs of the growing urban dwellers, who are failing to make ends meet. This means participation of women in urban agriculture on the understanding that they are custodians of food production in many urban communities is recommended. However, challenges associated with urban agriculture need to be addressed to avoid land degradation and pollution in urban areas. Therefore, urban agriculture should be considered as a normal component of agriculture system and urban development, which has the capacity to improve nutrition and food security, as it lends itself to the majority of the urban poor. Greater and more sustained food production from urban agriculture will increase the potential access of the urban household to an adequate diet. It is envisaged that urban agriculture will be the new approach to satisfying urban food demands, however best provided incentives to urban farmers are credited by formulating policy fair to urban food producers. In the face of this bleak situation, major efforts are required to promote urban agriculture in addressing the nutritional needs and the perpetual food insecurity challenges in urban areas of Zimbabwe. On the other hand, given the economic, social and ecological advantages of urban farming it is arguably deserves even greater attention than before.

FOOD FOR THE CITIES: URBAN AGRICULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

– Urban agriculture (UA) is defined as the production of crop and livestock goods within city and town boundaries. According to some statistics, 200 million people are employed in UA, contributing to the food supply of 800 million urban dwellers [1]. In African countries, 40 per cent of urban dwellers are said to be engaged in some sort of agricultural activities and this percentage rises to 50 per cent in Latin American countries [2]. If such numbers are accurate UA may play a role in addressing urban food insecurity problems. This paper attempts to fill some of the key research gaps in this area using survey data for 15 developing or transition countries. The paper analyzes in a comparative perspective the importance of UA for the poor and food insecure households located in urban areas. Keyword – urban agriculture, nutrition, micro data. I. INTRODUCTION Ravallion (2007) [3] estimates that about one-quarter of the developing world’s poor live in urban areas. Poverty is becoming an urban phenomenon and poor households are urbanizing faster than the population as a whole. UA might be seen as a way to reduce poverty and under nutrition in urban area. Our understanding of the importance, nature and food security implications of UA is however plagued by a lack of good quality and reliable data. While studies based on survey data do exist for several major cities, much of the evidence is still qualitative if not anecdotal. This paper analyzes in a comparative perspective the importance of UA for 15 developing or transition countries. The two basic research questions the paper addresses are: 1. What is the magnitude of UA in terms of households that are engaged in urban agricultural activities and what is the share of income they derive from it? 2. Is there a link between households’ engagement in UA and household food security (as proxied by dietary diversity)? After a brief review of the literature (section II), the paper quantifies the importance of UA in terms of the share of urban households engaged in agricultural activities and of the share of income generated by UA (Section III). In Section IV, we use multivariate analysis to gauge how participation in UA impacts dietary diversity. Dietary diversity indexes have been shown to be good proxies for calories intake and nutritional outcomes [4]. The key findings and policy conclusions are briefly outlined in Section V.

There is growing evidence of urban poverty in and around cities in sub-Saharan Africa in the form of food and nutrition insecurity. Although many studies have been done across sub-Saharan Africa on urban agriculture, food and nutrition insecurity, little is known about the association of urban agriculture to household food and nutrition insecurity along the urban–rural continuum, especially in West African cities. Therefore, a survey was carried out between August and September 2014 in and around Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), using a transect approach to guide the data collection. The purpose of this study was to understand the dynamics of urban, periurban and rural agriculture and its association with household food and nutrition insecurity. A total of 240 households participated in the survey. From these households, data were collected on 179 women of reproductive age (15–49 yr) and 133 children under the age of 5 yr to compute Women's Dietary Diversity Scores (WDDS) and other anthropometric indices. The results of this study provide a general picture of crop production which is inclined to subsistence and income generation. Households in rural and periurban areas were more engaged in crop and livestock production compared with their urban area counterparts. Households in periurban areas had the highest relative proportion (54%) of food insecurity (household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) > 11), compared with urban areas (39%) and rural areas (45%). At the same time the periurban households had the highest relative proportion of stunting and wasting prevalence compared with urban and rural households. Households in the rural areas had the highest dietary diversity (WDDS ≥ 6), compared with periurban and urban households. Households keeping livestock significantly experienced less wasting (weight-for-height index (WHZ)) (coef = −0.15;P= 0.008) by a factor of 0.15, and overweight (body mass index (BMI)-for-age (BAZ)) (coef = −0.12;P= 0.015) by a factor of 0.12 compared with households not doing livestock keeping. Households involved in crop production significantly experienced more food insecurity, HFIAS (coef. = 2.55;P= 0.042) by a factor of 2.55 compared with households without crop production. The complexity of periurban areas coupled with the scourge of food and nutrition insecurity will require more periurban agriculture and food policy consideration.

Urban agriculture, poverty, and food security: Empirical evidence from a sample of developing countries

ABSTRACTUrban food insecurity is increasingly common in sub‐Saharan Africa, including Ghana, due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Urban agriculture (UA) is considered a strategic approach to reducing urban food insecurity. Although there is a growing body of research on urban agriculture, evidence on integrated urban crop‐livestock farming systems is scarce. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by identifying the precursors of food security among urban households practicing different urban agriculture (UA) systems and analyzing the impact of integrated crop‐livestock (ICL) systems on household food security in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Our findings indicate that different sets of factors affect the food security of households practicing different urban agriculture systems. However, we observed that household income is negatively correlated with urban food insecurity across all forms of urban agriculture. Access to vacant land improves dietary diversity for households without farms, with crops, or those practicing integrated crop‐livestock farming, while access to credit enhances dietary diversity for households without farms, with livestock, or integrated crop‐livestock farming. The findings indicate that households practicing ICL farming systems have greater access to food and more diversified diets than households practicing other UA systems. The ICL farming system increases urban households' access to food by 84% compared to households without a farm, 48% compared to households with only crops, and 37% compared to households with only livestock. Households without land remain reliant on food purchases, which are impacted by rising costs. Furthermore, the ICL farming system enhances urban households' dietary diversity by 12%, 7.6%, and 16% compared to households without a farm, with only crops, or with only livestock, respectively. Therefore, the incorporation of ICL farming into urban planning is crucial for improving access to food and diversified diets.

By 2022, 42.39% of the sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) population was living in urban areas. This urbanization correlates with increasing poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, environmental pollution, and the prevalence of informal settlements. These challenges worsened urban food insecurity during the COVID‐19 pandemic in SSA cities. This review analyzed the role of urban farming system as a pivotal means to enhance urban food security, incorporating socioeconomic integration and environmental sustainability. The analysis is grounded in a systematic review using specific keywords, evaluating 46 articles and institutional reports related to the subject. The results revealed that 3.62% of SSA countries have implemented national urban governance and policies with minimal focus on urban farming. Rapid urbanization, urban population growth, and climate change are key factors contributing to cities' vulnerabilities to food insecurity in SSA. Predominantly characterized by horticultural practice, urban farming enhances the food supply system, nutritious security, jobs and income generation, reduces transportation costs, promotes the consumption of fresh food, and mitigates food loss in cities. Despite its importance, urban farming in SSA encounters several challenges: (i) urbanization governance and policy, (ii) knowledge and technology in urban farming, (iii) access to land and water, (iv) financing and capacity building for urban farming, and (v) environmental pollution. SSA countries need a coordinated mix of urbanization policies and technological advancements to integrate innovative urban farming methods, bolstering cities’ resilience to food insecurity. Implementing these measures could advance the achievement of sustainable development goals 2 and 11 in SSA cities.

The majority of the global population lives in cities. In the developing world, a three-fold challenge of population growth, urbanization, and urban food insecurity is posing challenges for cities. Urban agriculture has received increasing attention as one strategy to help cope with this. Using the annual statistical data of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, this paper reported on trends in urban agriculture (rice, vegetables, cattle, swine, and poultry) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia since 1993. At least 125 square kilometers (~20%) of the municipal area of Phnom Penh is used in agriculture, with nearly 300,000 swine, cattle, and poultry. It is the sixth largest industry in the city and the most important secondary economic activity. Yield data for rice and vegetables are not significantly different between Phnom Penh and the Cambodian average. Cattle, swine, and poultry populations have been declining in Phnom Penh since 1993 but all increased in 2011. Between 1993 and 2011, vegetable production and area cultivated have decreased, whereas rice production has increased. To maximize the multifunctional benefits of urban agriculture in Phnom Penh, further research is needed to understand its importance at the household level and to ensure that it is being practiced effectively and sustainably.

Poverty and food insecurity are some of the problems facing Nigerian population and governments at various levels today. Urban agriculture holds promise at solving these intractable problems. Urban agriculture is a practice that takes place in all urban centres, but existing studies have not succinctly examined the involvement of women in agriculture in small urban centres of Nigeria. The aim of this paper therefore, is to examine the motives behind involvement of women in urban agriculture in small agro-towns of Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 1,801 women farmers were selected from 13 settlements cutting across 8 LGAs. Simple percentages, graphic illustrations, charts, tabulation and cross tabulation and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the generated data. The study identifies three factors: food security, income supplement and accessibility to land, accounting for 98.6% as the best predictors of women involvement in urban agriculture. The study recommends that urban agriculture should be given official recognition by advocating for its support while women should be provided with financial resources to expand their farm plots.

Rapid urbanization goes together with the expansion of urban poverty and the incidence of urban food insecurity. Creative urban farming strategies to achieve food sovereignty and a comprehensive food system plan are needed to address food insecurity and food injustice in vulnerable households in an urban economy. The research analyzed the relationship between urban farming and food security based on three (3) aspects: livelihood generation, vulnerability context, and asset (land) ownership as the basis of crafting a food system blueprint to address food injustice and food sovereignty. It adopted a case study method to evaluate a nearly decade-old urban farming program that provides food and livelihood and promotes environmental well-being and good health for the marginalized sector of selected geopolitical units of a highly urbanized city in Metro Manila. The study revealed that vulnerable families in highly urban economies depend on urban farming to feed their families daily and have alternative job opportunities on full-time or part-time engagements. The lack of access to constant income hinders the ability of households to purchase food and provide for the health needs of the family members. The involvement of vulnerable households in urban farming programs and food system development initiatives makes them resilient to variations and spikes in food prices. Food insecurity is also aggravated by a lack of ownership/tenure rights on land allocated for urban farming. Thus, households may not have access to affordable food, and innovativeness in the urban farming system is hampered. In this context, urban farming needs to be integrated into food system planning to address food injustice and provide direction and guidance in food production, distribution, and consumption. The right to own land as a farming asset should be a requisite in realizing a just food system that supports food sovereignty.

Food security is a paramount issue, particularly in developing nations like Ethiopia. Much of the existing research focuses on identifying the factors and constraints of households related to rural areas. However, little attention has been paid to urban householders' food security and insecurity. To this end, a study has been conducted in Gondar to evaluate urban household food security, sampling 357 homes. Results revealed that 67% of male-headed households were food secure and 33% were food insecure, while 72% of female-headed households were found food insecure and 28% were found food secure. Tenants faced higher insecurity (77%) versus homeowners (12%). The Foster-Greer-Thorbecke model highlighted 53% incidence, 14% depth, and 5.4% severity of insecurity. Tackling 15% of calorie needs could eradicate it with proactive regional governance. Binary logistic modelling identified gender, homeownership, income, marital status, remittance, and credit access as significant factors (p < 0.01). The study underscores the need for tailored programs focusing on income, stable pricing, housing, and low-interest loans which are crucial for addressing overcoming urban food insecurity.

This article provides both a theoretical and empirical evidence on the role of urban agriculture (UA) to food and nutrition security as well as poverty reduction in urban areas, which have persisted as policy challenges in Africa. While countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa have taken agricultural interventions at the centre of addressing food and nutrition security in rural areas, UA does not feature well in urban food and poverty reduction policies in Tanzania. This creates policy gaps between the global, regional and national policies towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goal-2 of Zero hunger by 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063 on food and nutrition. This study derives from the nexus of theories of urban sprawls and urban food systems which consider urbanisation and the associated demographic changes posing unprecedented challenges in terms of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. Based on a cross-sectional research design, the study employed a mixed-methods approach, collecting data through questionnaires, interviews, and a systematic review of the literature. A sample of 600 respondents was selected using purposive sampling from a target population of 6,000, consisting of adult male and female farmers, agri-food supply chain producers, food processors, input suppliers, distributors, and traders in urban and peri-urban areas of Tanzania. The study examined and confirmed the contribution of urban agriculture on food availability, accessibility, stability and utilization in urban households. A systematic literature review shows a multitude of benefits of urban agriculture on food availability, accessibility, nutrient utilization and stability. The examined literature shows potential of UA to overcome youth unemployment as they engage into urban agricultural activities and therefore contribute to income and poverty reduction. Findings provides an understanding of inadequate policy enabling environment for UA as n frameworks for increasing food security. However, UA is being practiced without legitimate policy and legal frameworks. The study recommends for institutionalization of UA as a pathway for attaining food and nutrition security and poverty reduction and therefore, calls for policy agenda setting to create space for UA in city policies and planning.

Food security is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in the Global North, especially in urban areas. Because such areas do not always have good access to nutritionally adequate food, the question of how to supply them is an urgent priority in order to maintain a healthy population. Urban and peri-urban agriculture, as sources of local fresh food, could play an important role. Whereas some scholars do not differentiate between peri-urban and urban agriculture, seeing them as a single entity, our hypothesis is that they are distinct, and that this has important consequences for food security and other issues. This has knock-on effects for food system planning and has not yet been appropriately analysed. The objectives of this study are to provide a systematic understanding of urban and peri-urban agriculture in the Global North, showing their similarities and differences, and to analyse their impact on urban food security. To this end, an extensive literature review was conducted, resulting in the identification and comparison of their spatial, ecological and socio-economic characteristics. The findings are discussed in terms of their impact on food security in relation to the four levels of the food system: food production, processing, distribution and consumption. The results show that urban and peri-urban agriculture in the Global North indeed differ in most of their characteristics and consequently also in their ability to meet the food needs of urban inhabitants. While urban agriculture still meets food needs mainly at the household level, peri-urban agriculture can provide larger quantities and has broader distribution pathways, giving it a separate status in terms of food security. Nevertheless, both possess (unused) potential, making them valuable for urban food planning, and both face similar threats regarding urbanisation pressures, necessitating adequate planning measures.

Objective – This study aims to analyze the contribution of urban and peri-urban agriculture in mitigating food insecurity in Brazil, considering the relevance of the National Program for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (2018) and the recent Law No. 14,935/2024. The research seeks to map and analyze academic studies on the subject, highlighting the main contributions of community gardens to sustainable development. Methodology – The research adopted a qualitative state-of-the-art approach, analyzing theses and dissertations available in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) published between 2020 and 2024. Seven studies were identified and analyzed, considering their contributions to urban and community agriculture. Originality/relevance – The study fills a gap by linking urban agriculture to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting its role in poverty eradication (SDG 2), education promotion (SDG 4), economic growth (SDG 8), and sustainable cities (SDG 11). Additionally, it proposes strategies to strengthen the implementation of public policies focused on urban agriculture. Results – The analysis revealed that community gardens have great potential to contribute to food and nutritional security while generating jobs and income. However, challenges were identified, such as the need for more effective public policies, incentives for local consumption, and strengthening of community initiatives. The research suggests that state and municipal governments without specific legislation on urban agriculture develop local policies aligned with national legislation. Theoretical/methodological contributions – The study contributes to the debate on food security and sustainable development by consolidating knowledge on urban agriculture from recent academic literature. It also proposes that future research analyze the contributions of urban agriculture to vulnerable populations registered in the Federal Government's Unified Registry. Social and environmental contributions – The research reinforces the importance of urban agriculture as a strategy for social and economic inclusion, promoting environmental sustainability and agroecological education. Encouraging community gardens and policies supporting local consumption can strengthen food supply networks and reduce food insecurity in urban centers.

It is estimated that 25% of Zimbabwe’s population lives in urban areas (CSO, 2002), 70% below the poverty line, and a million in the city of Gweru. The worsening macroeconomic situation in 2008 resulted in urban food insecurity. Households adopted different survival strategies, including the intensification of urban agriculture. In an effort to assess the extent to which urban household food insecurity is mitigated by UA activities, a comparative analysis between households practicing and not practicing UA was done in Gweru in 2009. Household size as well as household head sex, age and employment status were found to affect household UA practice. Results indicated that UA practicing households were food-secure than non-practicing households. Household size, UA participation, household income, household head sex, maize meal price affected household food expenditure. Household head sex, UA participation, household head age and informal activities carried out by household members significantly affected urban household food security. The study concluded that there are synergies that exist between UA and urban household food security. Key words: Urban agriculture, household food security, Gweru.