Published by City Farmer, Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture
Urban Agriculture in Kano, Nigeria
Three Papers
Feeding Africa's urban poor: urban and peri-urban horticulture in Kano, Nigeria
By Tony Binns and Nicholas Fereday
1996, : Geography, 81 (4), pp. 380-384.
Urban agriculture under threat: the land security question in Kano, Nigeria
By Kenneth Lynch, Tony Binns and Emmanuel Olofin
2001, : Cities, 18 (3), pp. 159-171.
Water, land and health in urban and peri-urban food production: the case of Kano, Nigeria
By J. A. (Tony Binns), R.A.Maconachie and A. I. Tanko,
2003, : Land Degradation and Development, 14(5), pp 431-444.
Dr J A (Tony) Binns
Reader
Department of Geography
University of Sussex
Falmer, BRIGHTON
UK
BN1 9SJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1273-606755
Direct Line: +44 (0)1273-877137
Fax: +44 (0)1273-623572
e-mail: J.A.Binns@sussex.ac.uk
We have placed extracts from these papers on this page as well as links to the full text of the papers, which are downloadable Word RTF documents. These documents do not include maps, photos, etc. -- to view these resources, you must go to the journals listed beside the report titles.
Feeding Africa's urban poor: urban and peri-urban horticulture in Kano, Nigeria
By Tony Binns and Nicholas Fereday
Introduction
Sub-Saharan Africa is still overwhelmingly rural, with 70% of its people living in rural areas engaged primarily in producing food for household consumption. However, the scene is changing rapidly and with an average annual urban growth rate of 4.8% (1980-93), Sub- Saharan Africa is now urbanizing more rapidly than any other part of the world. Whilst the urban elites will no doubt continue to purchase large quantities of imported food from supermarkets, there is increasing concern about feeding the growing numbers of urban poor, many of whom have no permanent employment and limited access to resources. The situation is likely to become even more difficult as we move towards and into the twenty- first century. In addition to increasing poverty and malnutrition, the absence of a reasonably priced and plentiful source of basic foodstuffs for the urban poor could prove a major threat to local and national political stability.
Conclusion
It is clear from studying horticulture in and around a large city such as Kano that large quantities of fruit and vegetables are being produced, marketed and consumed. The Kano picture must surely be replicated in many other towns and cities across Sub-Saharan Africa. There is an urgent need for further investigation into the extent, potential and problems of urban and peri-urban horticulture, with a view to encouraging greater production of these commodities to feed rapidly growing urban populations. Such a strategy needs to be supported by both national and municipal authorities and developed alongside other policies which help to raise food production and alleviate poverty in the rural areas.
Full Report (Word RTF, 24KB, 2019 words):
Feeding Africa's urban poor: urban and peri-urban horticulture in Kano, Nigeria
Urban agriculture under threat: the land security question in Kano, Nigeria
By Kenneth Lynch, Tony Binns and Emmanuel Olofin
Abstract
This paper is concerned with the issue of providing food to the rapidly growing urban populations in poor countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Much emphasis has been given in recent years to the growing of basic foodstuffs in urban and peri-urban areas. Whilst there is a considerable body of literature which views urban agriculture in a relatively positive light, other less extensive literature raises concern about its impact on environment and people. The empirical evidence presented here from the city of Kano in northern Nigeria suggests that urban agriculture is providing farmers with important employment and food provisioning opportunities that would not otherwise be available. However, such activities and livelihoods are being threatened by acute problems of tenure insecurity and encroaching land development. It is suggested that local authorities have a key role to play in enabling and supporting such spontaneous initiatives, since there are city-wide benefits to be gained from such activities, including food supply, employment creation and flood prevention. More research is needed to clarify certain issues, not least to answer the expressed concerns about the impact of urban agriculture on environment and health.
Full Report (Word RTF, 101KB, 8356 words):
Urban agriculture under threat:
the land security question in Kano, Nigeria
Water, land and health in urban and peri-urban food production: the case of Kano, Nigeria
By J.A. (Tony) Binns, R.A. Maconachie and A. I. Tanko
Abstract
In sub-Saharan Africa, urban and peri-urban food production has been identified as an important resource for meeting the challenges of rapidly growing cities, and the positive aspects of such production have been well documented in the literature. This paper examines some of the health and environmental concerns associated with urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA). Empirical evidence from the city of Kano in northern Nigeria suggests that there is currently much reason for concern as industrial and domestic toxins are reaching dangerously high levels. As soils and water channels become increasingly polluted, the sustainability of urban and peri-urban food production is questioned. Since the health implications of long-term exposure to toxins are unclear, it is suggested that coordinated longitudinal research involving urban planners, agricultural scientists and health specialists is urgently needed. In addition, it remains crucial that government and institutional actors effectively monitor and enforce both environmental and zoning bi-laws, if the health and environmental constraints of UPA are to be overcome, and the future sustainability of production is to be assured.
Full Report (Word RTF, 296KB, 8951 words):
Water, land and health in urban and peri-urban food production:
the case of Kano, Nigeria
