Urban Agriculture, Food Security and the Environment

A large number of case studies covering a variety of food policy issues in many different countries are available on the following web site: http://cip.cornell.edu/gfs.  Each of the case studies focuses on an important policy issue in a particular country or region.  In addition to a description of the policy problem, each case identifies the key policy issues, stakeholder groups and suggests a set of potential policy solutions.  The cases are developed for use in teaching and for general information for interested individuals.  Every week or so this blog will feature one of the cases.

Urban agriculture is widespread in many developing countries.  Yet, the impact on food security and the urban environment is poorly understood and frequently underestimated by governments.  What are the appropriate policy responses to enhance the positive effects and reduce or eliminate negative effects?  In Case 7-12, Stephan Schmidt discusses these issues for urban agriculture in Dar es Salaam.  The executive summary is shown below and the full text may be found on the above mentioned web site.

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Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, one of the fastest-growing cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, faces a number of problems associated with such growth, including food insecurity, poor access to clean water, inadequate housing, unemployment and lack of education, and difficulties providing basic services and infrastructure. Agriculture addresses some of these concerns by serving as an important source of locally available produce and employing a substantial number of people. Because of the absence of processing, storage, and distribution facilities in much of Tanzania, urban agriculture will continue to play a vital role in the social, economic, and nutritional life of the city of Dar es Salaam. However, although urban agriculture clearly plays an important role in providing food and income in Dar es Salaam, the practice is largely unregulated and unplanned and faces a myriad of institutional, organizational, economic, and environmental problems.

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