Urban agriculture in Ezibeleni (Queenstown): contributing to the empirical base in the Eastern Cape

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Periodical article

Title:	Urban agriculture in Ezibeleni (Queenstown): contributing to the empirical base in the Eastern Cape
Authors:	Webb, Nigel Kasumba, Harrison
Year:	2009
Periodical:	Africanus
Volume:	39
Issue:	1
Pages:	27-39
Language:	English
Geographic term:	South Africa
Subject:	urban agriculture
Abstract:	Although research on urban agriculture (UA) has grown considerably in the last 20 years, its empirical base remains small. Thus, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions from the available knowledge. Adopting a sustainable development framework, this paper aims at extending the empirical base regarding UA by presenting data on the cultivation of vegetable crops in Ezibeleni in South Africa's Eastern Cape. It presents a review of previous UA investigations in the province as well as an analysis of current UA projects in Ezibeleni. The paper shows that, although Ezibeleni might be an area in which there is potential for UA, the realization of this potential is at a low level. The modest benefits currently dereived from UA were a feature of all the examined aspects, namely, the duration of crop consumption, the monetary value of cultivation to the households, environmental advantages associated with the practice of UA, and social and psychological effects of cultivation. These results confirm previous findings of investigations into UA in the Eastern Cape, which indicates that the benefits of UA to its participants have yet to be demonstrated. Bibliogr., notes, sum. [ASC Leiden abstract]