Potentials, problems, and policy implications for urban agriculture in developing countries

Urban agriculture has, for centuries, served as a vital input in the livelihood strategies of urban households in the developing countries. As a response to the economic crises exacerbated by the structural adjustment programs and increasing migration, urban agriculture has expanded rapidly within the last 20 years. An examination of the general trends in urban agriculture reveals a number of issues policy-makers in developing countries should address to provide services to ensure a sustainable behavior towards urban cultivation. Most important is the legalization of urban agriculture as a step towards securing lands for the urban poor. The illegal status has left a governance vacuum, which should be filled through policy formulation and regular institutionalized management in a participatory manner including all relevant stakeholders if food security has to be increased and environment improved in an urban development context.