Impacts of Urban Agriculture Annual Report.p65 - International ...

An urban agricultural model in the making:Kampala, UgandaIn the last decade, the recognition among varioussectors of the population and among national and localgovernment agencies in Uganda, as to the benefits ofattending, protecting and promoting urban and periurbanagriculture, has served as an example for humandevelopment efforts and strategies worldwide. Therecent legislative changes in Kampala, the role of thevarious civil societies’ organisations, includinginternational organisations, not to mention the effortsof the urban farmers themselves, have jointly begun theestablishment of a healthier, more sustainable andenvironmentally friendlier urban agricultural model, aswell as a more comprehensive approach to agriculturaldevelopment.37Urban Agriculture, as defined by the United NationsDevelopment Program (UNDP) (1998) 1 , has always beena part of Kampala’s economy. Urban and peri-urbanagriculture and livestock (UPA &L) is widely practised asan intense livelihood strategy in Kampala. This is due toa number of factors, including the rapid economicdecline in the early 1970’s, rural-urban migration, andthe city’s growth that engulfs large agriculturalfarmlands. According to the 2002 Population andHousing Census, Kampala’s population growth of 3.9%derives mostly from rural-urban migration. There is anunemployment rate of 42.5%, and over 80% of thepopulation are in the low-income bracket while 38.9%live in absolute poverty. Approximately 35% householdswith backyard gardens of less than an acre practiseUPA&L as their livelihood strategy.However, in Kampala, as in most African countries, thebenefits of UPA&L have been largely shadowed by itsrisks. Agriculture in Uganda has been, until recently,promoted only in rural areas through national policiesthat sought to develop strategic plans to eradicatepoverty. Under the “Town and Country Planning Act.1964” and the “Public Health Act. 1964”, urban agriculture1 United Nations Development Program 1988. “Potential, problems, and policy implications for urban agriculture in developing countries”.Agriculture and Human ValuesVol.20, No.1