Urban agriculture (UA) can contribute to the food security and income needs of low-income urban households. However, much of the existing evidence promoting UA comes from single case studies of large cities and high-income countries. Less is known about the potential for UA in smaller African cities. This talk presents survey results from 2,687 low-income households in 18 small urban areas across Zambia and Kenya. Many of these households face barriers that prevent them from engaging in UA at the scale that would be required to alleviate food insecurity. The implications for urban policy and planning are discussed.

About the speaker - Ms. Julia Davies holds a BSc in Environmental and Geographical Science and MSc in Climate Change and Development from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Julia worked as a senior research assistant at the African Climate and Development Initiative before moving to the U.S. in 2019 to pursue her PhD in Geography.