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The role of urban-based agriculture on food security : Kenyan case studies

Omondi, Samuel LU ; Oluoch-Kosura, Willis and Jirström, Magnus LU (2017) In Geographical Research 55(2). p.231-241
Abstract

Kenya is rapidly urbanising. In the growing cities and towns, there is an increasing need for food supplies, creating demand for agricultural products. High unemployment rates, urban poverty, and food and nutrition insecurity force some urban dwellers to partly adopt livelihood strategies based on urban agriculture. Presently in Kenya, urban and peri-urban agriculture plays an important role in urban food system, because it enhances livelihood strategies for urban households, not least the poor. Using a sample of 2,009 households, this study characterised urban farming and urban-based rural farming in medium-sized towns of Thika and Kisumu, Kenya. It further assessed food security levels of urban households engaged in farming and... (More)

Kenya is rapidly urbanising. In the growing cities and towns, there is an increasing need for food supplies, creating demand for agricultural products. High unemployment rates, urban poverty, and food and nutrition insecurity force some urban dwellers to partly adopt livelihood strategies based on urban agriculture. Presently in Kenya, urban and peri-urban agriculture plays an important role in urban food system, because it enhances livelihood strategies for urban households, not least the poor. Using a sample of 2,009 households, this study characterised urban farming and urban-based rural farming in medium-sized towns of Thika and Kisumu, Kenya. It further assessed food security levels of urban households engaged in farming and households that do not farm. Results demonstrate that more than half of the households produced part of their food, either in urban or rural areas. About 37 per cent and 25 per cent of the respondents produced food in rural and urban areas, respectively. Generally, more of the households engaged in both urban farming and urban-based rural agriculture are more food secure compared with the non-farming households. Urban farming has a potential of improving household food security and provision of fungible income; hence, the practice should be included in the urban food policies.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
food security, Kenya, Kisumu, own food production, Thika, urban-based agriculture
in
Geographical Research
volume
55
issue
2
pages
11 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000400785300010
  • scopus:85018976041
ISSN
1745-5863
DOI
10.1111/1745-5871.12234
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ce8f3c17-3061-495f-b548-cfd520bf1e80
date added to LUP
2017-05-31 10:12:40
date last changed
2024-03-17 14:58:37
@article{ce8f3c17-3061-495f-b548-cfd520bf1e80,
  abstract     = {{<p>Kenya is rapidly urbanising. In the growing cities and towns, there is an increasing need for food supplies, creating demand for agricultural products. High unemployment rates, urban poverty, and food and nutrition insecurity force some urban dwellers to partly adopt livelihood strategies based on urban agriculture. Presently in Kenya, urban and peri-urban agriculture plays an important role in urban food system, because it enhances livelihood strategies for urban households, not least the poor. Using a sample of 2,009 households, this study characterised urban farming and urban-based rural farming in medium-sized towns of Thika and Kisumu, Kenya. It further assessed food security levels of urban households engaged in farming and households that do not farm. Results demonstrate that more than half of the households produced part of their food, either in urban or rural areas. About 37 per cent and 25 per cent of the respondents produced food in rural and urban areas, respectively. Generally, more of the households engaged in both urban farming and urban-based rural agriculture are more food secure compared with the non-farming households. Urban farming has a potential of improving household food security and provision of fungible income; hence, the practice should be included in the urban food policies.</p>}},
  author       = {{Omondi, Samuel and Oluoch-Kosura, Willis and Jirström, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{1745-5863}},
  keywords     = {{food security; Kenya; Kisumu; own food production; Thika; urban-based agriculture}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{231--241}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Geographical Research}},
  title        = {{The role of urban-based agriculture on food security : Kenyan case studies}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12234}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/1745-5871.12234}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}