Reflecting on the Potential and Limitations of Urban Agriculture as an Urban Greening Tool in South Africa

Abstract

Urban green spaces have been researched extensively for their contribution toward livable, sustainable and resilient cities. Studies illustrate increasing awareness of the multi-functional roles such spaces can fulfill in addressing urbanization pressures and associated impacts such as increasing stress on global food systems, notably by accommodating practices of urban agriculture (UA). This paper investigates the potential for UA in South Africa as a citizen-led urban greening strategy, considering potential and limitations for the increased application of UA in spatial planning. The paper provides a review of core concepts and illustrates potential and certain limitations via UA cases studies in two leading South African provinces and a review of the national policy and legislative framework pertaining to UA. Findings highlight particular issues for consideration to augment the implementation of UA in South Africa, including opportunities to draw on existing citizen-led initiatives and increasing awareness of UA among communities, authorities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector; the potential to utilize skilled and knowledgeable rural migrants; and possibilities to capitalize on a growing market for UA related opportunities to stimulate economic growth and employment creation whilst addressing food security concerns. Limitations highlighted in the paper, include many current UA initiatives not being self-sustaining and fully citizen-driven, requiring constant support and resources from multiple stakeholders; a cultural stigma attached to UA activities, hampering more uptake, especially among the youth; limited national support as no dedicated national policy on UA exists to direct the spatial planning community; and lastly, that South African spatial planners exhibit limited knowledge of UA and green infrastructure in general. The paper concludes with broad recommendations for the international planning community to advance the implementation of UA as a citizen-led urban greening strategy, drawing on the South African experience.

Why Home Gardens Fail in Enhancing Food Security and Dietary Diversity

“…To promote urban agriculture, cooperation is needed with government entities on multiple levels as well as stakeholder participation in decision-making (Obosu-Mensah, 2002;Puppim de Oliveira and Ahmed, 2021). Moreover, viable agricultural land should be protected by acknowledging its role as a citizen-led urban green strategy and through relevant policies and the inclusion of urban agriculture in mainstream urban planning and development (Cilliers et al, 2020;Bannor et al, 2021;Steenkamp et al, 2021). Strategies should also focus on planting food with high nutritional value, combining it with poultry and livestock, and striving for gardens with high diversity specifically focusing on the richness and abundance of species to ensure year-round production (Lowe et al, 2021).…”

Food Resilience and Urban Gardener Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Can We Learn from the Experience of the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa?

“…While this form of assistance has the potential to promote food resilience in the study area, the resulting dependence on assistance from non-profit organisations is not motivating urban gardeners to construct horizontal networks with other gardeners that are less dependent on outside assistance from various non-profit organisations and the provincial Western Cape government. Similarly, there is considerable dependence on non-profit organisations for resources, marketing of produce and the acquisition of new information (Cilliers et al, 2020; Karaan and Mohamed, 1998). The assistance is influencing the foodscape in the study area in terms of the crops that the gardeners grow and what they do with the produce.…”

The Transforming City: Exploring the Potential for Smart Cities and Urban Agriculture in Africa

“…The challenge is that while many initiatives are well identified, the practical application to meet more urgent community-level needs remains vague. A recent in-depth study by Cilliers et al (2020), reflects on the potential and limitations of UA in the South African context where they detail and promote UA as a citizen-led urban greening strategy. Their case study of Cape Town details how the city is at the forefront in South Africa with regards to UA initiatives.…”

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this divide while simultaneously amplifying the urgency for urban farming to be supported by legislation, policy and engagement at all levels of society. Although there is currently no singular national policy to guide UA in South Africa, the development of policies and frameworks on city level emphasize a community-driven need to implement UA within cities (Cilliers et al, 2020, p. 11). The COVID-19 pandemic has mobilized a whole new solidarity amongst a wide array of civil society and grassroots actors, as food producers have mobilized to support the vulnerable in their communities (Seidel, 2020).…”