In the poorer countries and among the lower-income groups,
self-produced food can cover a considerable share of a household's
total food intake and can save or release an even larger share of the
household's cash income to cover nonfood expenses. Self-produced food
accounted for as much as 18% of total household consumption in East
Jakarta (Yeung, 1985). However, percentages are much higher in
African cities, as urban farmers produce mostly or largely for
household consumption, 77% in urban Kenya for example (Lee-Smith and
Memon, 1994). In Nairobi, over 50% used the entire amount harvested
to feed their families or dependents. In Pointe Noire, 26% of
households or 33% of the population self-supplied all or part of its
needs for cassava (Vennetier, 1961: 71 72). In Dar es Salaam, nearly
50 % of 260 intra-urban producers reported that UA contributed 20 30%
or more of the household's food supply (Sawio. 1993: 309). In
Kampala, 55% of 150 producers obtained 40% or more, and 32% obtained
60% or more, of their household food from their own urban garden
(Maxwell and Zziwa, 1992: 49 50). The poorest households in Lusaka
were estimated to self-produce about one third of all the food they
consumed (Sanyal, 1986, as per Rogerson, 1993: 38). In Kenya 40% of
the 1,576 urban farmers interviewed in the six Kenyan cities said
they would starve if stopped from farming (Lee-Smith and Memon, 1994:
80). In Kampala, almost without exception, those engaged in UA said
that even if they were offered jobs whose cash remuneration was
equivalent, they would not stop farming (Maxwell, 1994).
Go back to Table of Contents: Urban Food Production by Luc Mougeot
Go back to Urban Agriculture Notes
revised, June 12,1995
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