Food Security Attainment Role of Urban Agriculture: A Case Study from Adama City

Abstract

This study was conducted with the main objective ofassessing the
role  of  urban  agriculture  in  attaining  urban  food  security  with
special  reference  to  smallholdings  in  Adama  city.  In  so  doing,  as
studies on  urban agriculture  are limited, if not  inexistent,  it  would
attempt  to  bridge  such  research  gap  and  raise  the  awareness  of
urban administrators and planners towards addressing the strategies
to  appropriately  handle  and  develop  the  sector.  To  that  effect,  the
necessary  data  were  generated  from  both  primary  and secondary
sources.  Field  observations,  sample  household  survey,  key
informant interview and focus group discussions were the principal
means  of  generating  data  from  primary  sources.  Secondary  data
were  also  obtained  from  concerned  organizations.  Both  qualitative
and  quantitative  techniques  were  employed  to  analyze  the  data.  A
quantitative technique known as household food balance model was
used  to  look  into  the  household  per  capita  dietary  energy
contribution  of  urban  agriculture  in  Adama.  Moreover,  regression
analysis  was  employed  to  see  the  determinants  of  agricultural
productivity  in  the  study  area.  The  findings  of  this  study  confirm
that urban agriculture plays a great role in attaining urban household
food security.  Over 40per cent of the surveyed sample households
were obtaining well over the nationally set minimumdietary energy
requirement only from their urban farmlands. Based  on the findings
of  the  study,  both  short  term  and  long  term  urban  agriculture
development intervention schemes, strategies and policy issues have
been recommended.