Urban food production and health risk management

Lead Research Organisation: University of Sheffield
Department Name: Geography

Abstract

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Description The research conducted under the ESRC-funded project Urban Food Production and Health Risk Management contributed to a number of public and non-profit/voluntary sectors. In the context of public sector development, the main impact was achieved in Ethiopia where the research work was directly utilised in the development of the first urban agriculture policy in Ethiopia. This contribution and process is detailed under the section entitled: Influence on Policy, Practice, Patients and the Public'. In the context of the non-profit/voluntary sector, the research work has been used by non-governmental organisations to improve the risk management of urban agriculture in Ethiopia and Ghana. These developments and case studies are detailed in a number of documents that have been featured on prominent and open public web-based domains that support non-profit/voluntary organisations, for example: http://www.ruaf.org/library/pay-drechsel-and-bernard-keraita-eds-irrigated-urban-vegetable-production-ghana http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/Books/PDF/irrigated_urban_vegetable_production_in_ghana.pdf Following the completion of the ESRC-funded project, the risk assessment tools were then also applied on addition non-profit/voluntary organisation projects in Kigali, Rwanda and the Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territories. Internal reports were conducted for two non-profit organisations that incorporated urban food production and health risk management: Adam-Bradford, A. (2011) CHF International - Gaza Urban Agriculture Revitalization and Redevelopment (GUARD): GUARD Capacity Building Review. USAID/CHF International, Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territories, pp. 24. Adam-Bradford, A. (2011) ROADS II. Rwanda - Food Security and Economic Strengthening for ROADS II Beneficiaries: Kigali Report. USAID/DAI/FHI, Kigali, Rwanda, pp. 66. More recently, the findings from the Urban Food Production and Health Risk Management can be found in a number of urban agriculture projects in Uganda, Iraq and Syria. Details of these developments can be found at: http://lemontreetrust.org/ Andrew Adam-Bradford continues to draw on the research from Urban Food Production and Health Risk Management project and much of these developments are covered on his Twitter account: @aab2038 which is followed by over 1,500 followers from the public and non-profit/voluntary sectors.
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment
Impact Types Societal,Economic
 
Description Addis Ababa Urban Agriculture Policy
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
Impact In 2013, the Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Policy and Strategy for Addis Ababa was approved by the Addis Ababa City Administration, of the City Government of Addis Ababa Trade and Industrial Development Bureau. The ESRC-funded Urban Food Production and Health Risk Management played a substantial role in the development of the first urban agriculture policy in Ethiopia. From 2009 to 2010, a number of policy consultations were conducted in connection to the ESRC-funded Urban Food Production and Health Risk Management. These included the research and drafting of two technical reports for the USAID/DAI Urban Agriculture Project: Adam-Bradford, A. (2009) USAID Urban Gardens for HIV Affected Women and Children: Urban Environmental Resources Assessment Report. USAID/DAI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 32. Adam-Bradford, A. (2009) USAID Urban Gardens for HIV Affected Women and Children: Urban Gardens Environmental Plan. USAID/DAI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 36. These findings were presented in a conference paper in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Adam-Bradford, A. (2009) Why urban agriculture? Environmental mitigation. Paper for USAID Urban Gardens Program Annual Conference "Beyond Urban Gardens: Meeting the Growing Needs of Ethiopia's Urban Population", Ghion Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 16-18 November, 2009. These findings and policy briefs combined with further research conducted in 2010: Adam-Bradford, A. (2010) Report Review: Urban Agriculture Situation Analysis For Addis Ababa City Administration, M. Nigussie. USAID Urban Garden Program, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2010. (Paperback), v + 74 pp. USAID/DAI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 7. Adam-Bradford, A. (2010) Urban Agriculture Policy Brief. USAID/DAI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 38. These briefs were then used to support the first Addis Ababa Urban Agriculture Policy in a paper presented at the validation workshop of Addis Ababa Urban Agriculture Policy: Adam-Bradford, A. (2010) Urban agriculture policy and the international experience. Paper for USAID Urban Garden Program for HIV Affected Women and Children, USAID, and City Government of Addis Ababa Trade and Industrial Development Bureau Urban Agriculture Office, Situation Analysis and Validation Workshop of Addis Ababa Urban Agriculture for Policy Development, Hawassa, Ethiopia, 22-23 November 2010. In 2013, the Urban Agriculture Office of the City Government of Addis Ababa Trade and Industrial Development Bureau validated the first policy for urban agriculture in Ethiopia: Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture Policy and Strategy for Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa City administration, bureau of trade and Industry development. May 2013. This policy has gone on to improve the environmental sustainability of urban agriculture in Addis Ababa by addressing the management of risks associated with urban food production. In addition, the policy has led to changes in efficiency and effectiveness of the urban agriculture extension through more focussed public service delivery. Finally, the policy has improved the regulatory frameworks particularly in risk management and the management of urban agriculture and the environmental linkages to land and water.
 
Description Challenges of urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry for resilient communities 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Primary Audience
Results and Impact Technical paper addressing urban food and nutrition security in the contexts of urban crisis with a focus on the challenges of urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry for resilient communities. In the paper four aspects were presented in detail: 1) Urban agriculture funding in emergencies; 2) Urban agriculture and Sphere Guidelines; 3) Food distribution and food production; 4) Urban agriculture and resilience. In addition also presented were four cross-cutting themes of: 1) Accountability - benefactor & beneficiary; 2) Coordination - local and institutional levels; 3) Innovation - urban agriculture is not new only innovation; 4) Support - urban agriculture funding and recognition for implementation and research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity
 
Description Peri-urban : the final frontier for urban sustainability and resilience 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Primary Audience
Results and Impact Peri-urban regions have wide-ranging implications for urban resilience, biodiversity and food and water security as elements of sustainability. Appropriate land use would help to ensure that peri-urban zones are managed to maximize the symbiotic interactions between urban and rural processes, creating productive landscapes at the urban fringe. A 'preparedness' approach to peri-urban planning recognizes that these areas have now become critical zones for mitigating climate change impacts and promoting urban adaptive capacity and sustainability, with 'green infrastructure' providing diverse ecosystem services, including food security. Consequently, peri-urban regions should be managed in ways that maximize intensive food production to balance possible food insecurity stemming from population growth, increased global food (oil) prices (affecting both production and affordability) and/or climate change impacts such as declines in rural food production. In peri-urban areas the availability of urban wastewater ensures that agriculture is less susceptible to increased rainfall variability than rural food production systems. However, the risks must be managed and peri-urban agricultural lands appropriately conserved to maintain adaptive capacity for future disruptions in food production and supply, as opposed to current land practices which are governed by land speculation and rapid urbanization. Lessons from Hubli-Dharwad and other Indian cities are used to illustrate these opportunities and challenges.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity