Urban agriculture as an evolved sustainable urban livelihood: evidence from Kampala city, Uganda

Abstract Background For centuries, urban agriculture has been a vital livelihood strategy of urban households in developing countries. Previous studies looked at urban agriculture at a point in time as an urban livelihood for the urban poor that struggle with eking out a living, without the current dynamism, which attracts the non-poor into the practice. Having become an integral part of the urban economy, the study objective was to use poultry farming, to explore the role of urban agriculture as an evolved and dynamic urban livelihood that attracts the non-poor. Methods The study was conducted in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. The unit of analysis were urban farming households. Data were collected through four (4) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), sixteen (16) key informants and twenty (20) In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) using purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected for a period of two (2) months using unstructured research instruments, triangulated and thematically analysed. Results Our results indicate that; urban agriculture is an evolving urban activity. This evolution and continuities were driven by the merits of urban agriculture (food, jobs and income) to urban dwellers. Urban agriculture also contributed to the economic inclusion of women and the urban poor. There was household resource logic in practicing urban agriculture, especially in the private sector, where jobs were scarce. In view of these innovations, the urban authorities were supporting urban farmers with demonstrations and certified inputs for farmers in Kampala and beyond. To further develop urban agriculture, it is recommended that farmers organize themselves into viable groups to further realize corporate advantages such as better resource access such as affordable financing, access to better inputs and linkages with various institutions and stakeholders in production, value addition, policy and marketing for better returns and sustainable farming practices. Conclusions These findings if used in perspective by planners and regional managers have utility for the anchoring of urban agriculture in the urbanisation agenda for Uganda and beyond. It is envisaged that, stakeholders can draw useful actions relating to sustainable urban food production (consumer food shed), waste management, incomes, job creation, training, research and innovations in urban areas.