The role of urban agriculture towards livelihood and food security : the case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: Urban agriculture plays a major role in providing food and income in cities. It also serves as a tool for poverty alleviation. Any agricultural activities including crop and vegetable growing, animal rearing, beekeeping, dairy and poultry farms practiced at backyards, open spaces, river banks and small farm lands in peri-urban areas are considered as urban agriculture. This study quantifies cultivated land size in Addis Ababa city and explores the contribution of urban agriculture to livelihood and food security of the actors in the city. The study primarily uses ArcMap and Google Earth software to quantify Addis Ababa’s land used for urban agriculture. Questionnaire interview, Key Informants Interview (KII), Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and observation are employed as primary data collection methods complemented by secondary data obtained by reviewing documents related literature. This study finds that 22% of Addis Ababa’s land is covered with cultivated land whereas water, one of agricultural activities major inputs, constitutes only 1% of the city’s land. The study also finds that urban agriculture is the main source of food and income for the sample households of the study. Furthermore, urbanization, unskilled agricultural practices, lack of collaborative action and networking, as well as inadequate water and irrigation schemes have been identified as main determinants of urban agriculture in the city.