The Contribution of Urban and Peru-Urban Agriculture to Food Security
in Sub-Sahara African Cities

Urban agriculture is a high value-added sector of tremendous interest to public authorities, civil society and researchers. Despite the fact that urban agriculture has the proven capacity to contribute to job creation, income generation, food security and environmental conservation; it faces a large number of constraint that impede the achievement of these goals. Urban agriculture in most African cities is still illegal partly because of the laws dating to the colonial period and partly because of the negative image of the sector (pollution, noise, erosion, stench, traffic, and accidents etc).

The recognition of the current potential importance of urban agriculture has not yet translated into and effective inclusion in the legal and statutory provisions of African countries. As an urban activity sector, urban agriculture still suffers from being considered irrelevant in urban management instruments with the lack of land security especially in market gardening areas being one of the most obvious expressions of marginalization.

It is thus important that policy makers recognize urban farming as a highly dynamic but lasting phenomenon with a high potential to support various development goals if it can be lifted out of its informality. Government and city authorities should turn away from such views and help to tolerate and legalize urban agriculture. This should be done by both the local government and the private sector.