Review – Cities and Agriculture

As people increasingly migrate to urban settings and with more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, it is vital to plan and provide for sustainable and resilient food systems which reflect this challenge. The book ‘Cities and Agriculture’ presents experience and evidence on key dimensions of urban food challenges and types of intra-and peri-urban agriculture, in 15 extremely well-researched and written chapters. The book has shed light on an urban challenge that has been ignored for a long time in urban studies as well as in urban policies and planning, i.e. food-provisioning. Neglecting the dynamics and sustainability of food provisioning in scientific research on sustainable urban development is a serious omission, because feeding cities arguably has a greater social and physical impact on us and our planet than anything else we do

Urban agriculture in Botswana

Botswana, a middle-income country, is experiencing a sluggish economic growth and a rapid urbanisation which has brought in its wake high unemployment, poverty and food insecurity. This has led some people to engage in subsistence and commercial urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) to address these problems. However, in spite of its known advantages, uptake of UPA has been low for a number of reasons including: high GDP before the economic meltdown of recent years; a harsh climate; lack of water; poor access to land; and over-reliance on generous government handouts. Nevertheless, the extent of its practice and its contribution to food security – albeit modest – shows that it is a sector that needs to be encouraged and supported. Both central and local government can play a big role by providing land and infrastructure, and also by implementing an enabling policy and regulatory environment which promotes small- and medium-scale urban food production

Regional planning in the Kilimanjara/Arusha region of Tanzania

The need for regional planning in Tanzania has long been realized because in this country, as in most developing countries, there are striking contrasts and disparities between regions, clearly reflected in the very unequal opportunities to participate in the social-economic development process enjoyed by the various population groups. The sheer size of the country would make it difficult to treat the country as a single unit, even if the undeveloped transportation system did not further divide the country. These problems have thus prompted the undertaking of this thesis which tries one approach to Regional Physical Planning in Tanzania to see whether this level of planning can solve some of the problems and thus lead to better development in this country. The Study starts off with an examination of the Regional Planning experience of some African countries including a thorough examination of Tanzania's experience before embarking on a case study of one of its regions. The Northern Reglon has been taken for this detailed case study. It is a region with major contrasts in factor endowment and urban development. An analysis of the present situation shows that this region has tremendous resource potential, especially agriculture, industry (especially processing industry), tourism and abundance of labour. However, development has been limited because of some problems facing this region. These include rapid urbanization leading to differences between urban and rural areas, haphazard location of infrastructure resulting in duplication of services in some areas while others have none, land shortage and population congestion problems in the highland zones. The analysis paid special attention to tourism because of its present importance in the economy and development of this region. The results of the Analysis of the existing situation formed the back-ground to the formulation of goals and objectives, a general outline of Alternative Strategies and their evaluation. This led to the choice of the preferred Strategy which was taken and developed as the future Strategic Plan of this region. This Study has recommended a strategy to solve some of the region's identified problems while exploiting existing potentials for growth. The resulting document should, initially, be discussed by local politicians and departmental specialists. Further detailed research and surveys and, feasibility studies would then be needed before implementation can be contemplated. The Plan suggests that a Growth Centre Strategy should be used as a basis for future development by both Local Government and private agencies. This planned spatial distribution of centres would ensure a balanced relationship between the urban and rural sectors. Investment priorities would be in the centres currently lacking essential services and infrastructure. Such a Strategy will maintain a reasonable spread of urban services throughout the region thus ensuring that opportunities for educational and cultural improvement, together with medical and commercial facilities are reasonably accessible to all the rural population. Certain concrete proposals have been made for immediate implementation such as the upgrading and provision of additional infrastructural development in. the selected service centres. Special projects for agriculture and industry have also been suggested. These proposals have been integrated into a long range development PLAN for the Northern Region which recommends a pattern of growth which will accommodate all anticipated development up to the turn of the century. The successful implementation of this Plan will depend on the suggested establishment of a Regional Planning Unit which would constantly review the plan in the light of future new developments. Thus, it remains as a flexible strategic regional plan, unlike previous unco-ordinated sectoral and inflexible Master Plans for limited areas. If this planning approach is successful, it may, in future, be used as a general blue print for regional planning in Tanzania

Regional planning in the Kilimanjara/Arusha region of Tanzania

The need for regional planning in Tanzania has long been realized because in this country, as in most developing countries, there are striking contrasts and disparities between regions, clearly reflected in the very unequal opportunities to participate in the social-economic development process enjoyed by the various population groups. The sheer size of the country would make it difficult to treat the country as a single unit, even if the undeveloped transportation system did not further divide the country. These problems have thus prompted the undertaking of this thesis which tries one approach to Regional Physical Planning in Tanzania to see whether this level of planning can solve some of the problems and thus lead to better development in this country. The Study starts off with an examination of the Regional Planning experience of some African countries including a thorough examination of Tanzania's experience before embarking on a case study of one of its regions. The Northern Reglon has been taken for this detailed case study. It is a region with major contrasts in factor endowment and urban development. An analysis of the present situation shows that this region has tremendous resource potential, especially agriculture, industry (especially processing industry), tourism and abundance of labour. However, development has been limited because of some problems facing this region. These include rapid urbanization leading to differences between urban and rural areas, haphazard location of infrastructure resulting in duplication of services in some areas while others have none, land shortage and population congestion problems in the highland zones. The analysis paid special attention to tourism because of its present importance in the economy and development of this region. The results of the Analysis of the existing situation formed the back-ground to the formulation of goals and objectives, a general outline of Alternative Strategies and their evaluation. This led to the choice of the preferred Strategy which was taken and developed as the future Strategic Plan of this region. This Study has recommended a strategy to solve some of the region's identified problems while exploiting existing potentials for growth. The resulting document should, initially, be discussed by local politicians and departmental specialists. Further detailed research and surveys and, feasibility studies would then be needed before implementation can be contemplated. The Plan suggests that a Growth Centre Strategy should be used as a basis for future development by both Local Government and private agencies. This planned spatial distribution of centres would ensure a balanced relationship between the urban and rural sectors. Investment priorities would be in the centres currently lacking essential services and infrastructure. Such a Strategy will maintain a reasonable spread of urban services throughout the region thus ensuring that opportunities for educational and cultural improvement, together with medical and commercial facilities are reasonably accessible to all the rural population. Certain concrete proposals have been made for immediate implementation such as the upgrading and provision of additional infrastructural development in. the selected service centres. Special projects for agriculture and industry have also been suggested. These proposals have been integrated into a long range development PLAN for the Northern Region which recommends a pattern of growth which will accommodate all anticipated development up to the turn of the century. The successful implementation of this Plan will depend on the suggested establishment of a Regional Planning Unit which would constantly review the plan in the light of future new developments. Thus, it remains as a flexible strategic regional plan, unlike previous unco-ordinated sectoral and inflexible Master Plans for limited areas. If this planning approach is successful, it may, in future, be used as a general blue print for regional planning in Tanzania

No. 17: The State of Food Insecurity in Gaborone, Botswana

The results of AFSUN’s study of the food security situation of the poor in Gaborone show that not everyone is benefitting from Botswana’s strong and growing economy and that many of the urban poor experience extremely high levels of food insecurity. The study, which formed part of AFSUN’s baseline survey of 11 Southern African cities, collected data on a broad range of issues that affect household food insecurity and found that four out of five households in the surveyed areas in Gaborone reported severe or moderate food insecurity. Only 18% were either food secure or mildly food insecure. Income level is a particularly important determinant of food insecurity as most households access food from the marketplace rather than grow their own. The impacts of chronic food insecurity on Gaborone’s population are likely to be considerable unless this problem is urgently addressed. The problem is in some sense invisible because there appears to be no shortage of food in the shops and on the streets of this booming city. The challenge is not one of food supply but food accessibility and food quality. Given that Botswana is one of the most rapidly urbanizing and most urbanized countries in Africa, its example has wider importance for the general study of urban food security on the continent

No. 02: The State of Urban Food Insecurity in Southern Africa

The number of people living in urban areas is rising rapidly in Southern Africa. By mid-century, the region is expected to be 60% urban. Rapid urbanization is leading to growing food insecurity in the region’s towns and cities. This paper presents the results of the first ever regional study of the prevalence of food insecurity in Southern Africa. The AFSUN food security household survey was conducted simultaneously in 2008-9 in 11 cities in 8 SADC countries. The results confirm high levels of food insecurity amongst the urban poor in terms of food availability, accessibility, reliability and dietary diversity. The survey provides important insights into the causes of food insecurity and the kinds of households that are most vulnerable to food insecurity. It also shows the heavy reliance of the urban poor on informal food sources and the growing importance of supermarket chains

No. 17: The State of Food Insecurity in Gaborone, Botswana

The results of AFSUN’s study of the food security situation of the poor in Gaborone show that not everyone is benefitting from Botswana’s strong and growing economy and that many of the urban poor experience extremely high levels of food insecurity. The study, which formed part of AFSUN’s baseline survey of 11 Southern African cities, collected data on a broad range of issues that affect household food insecurity and found that four out of five households in the surveyed areas in Gaborone reported severe or moderate food insecurity. Only 18% were either food secure or mildly food insecure. Income level is a particularly important determinant of food insecurity as most households access food from the marketplace rather than grow their own. The impacts of chronic food insecurity on Gaborone’s population are likely to be considerable unless this problem is urgently addressed. The problem is in some sense invisible because there appears to be no shortage of food in the shops and on the streets of this booming city. The challenge is not one of food supply but food accessibility and food quality. Given that Botswana is one of the most rapidly urbanizing and most urbanized countries in Africa, its example has wider importance for the general study of urban food security on the continent

No. 02: The State of Urban Food Insecurity in Southern Africa

The number of people living in urban areas is rising rapidly in Southern Africa. By mid-century, the region is expected to be 60% urban. Rapid urbanization is leading to growing food insecurity in the region’s towns and cities. This paper presents the results of the first ever regional study of the prevalence of food insecurity in Southern Africa. The AFSUN food security household survey was conducted simultaneously in 2008-9 in 11 cities in 8 SADC countries. The results confirm high levels of food insecurity amongst the urban poor in terms of food availability, accessibility, reliability and dietary diversity. The survey provides important insights into the causes of food insecurity and the kinds of households that are most vulnerable to food insecurity. It also shows the heavy reliance of the urban poor on informal food sources and the growing importance of supermarket chains