Authors : C.A. Okezie , N.U. Inyang and Amaechi
Abstract: The study was conducted to assess the contribution of urban agriculture to food security in Uyo metropolis of Akwa Ibom State Nigeria. A sample of 85 farmers was chosen from Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State. A two-round survey was conducted with a well-structured questionnaire to cover the planting season (April/May) and the harvesting season (July/August) to capture seasonal variation. Data analysis involved the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. The analysis revealed that the farming systems in the city include seasonal farming, vegetable growing, backyard gardening, small ruminants/poultry and commercial livestock systems. Most of the urban farms are planted with crops such as maize, melon, cassava and vegetable. The animals kept include poultry, rabbits, sheep, goats and pigs. The average area cultivated varies from less than 1 ha to about 2 ha. The income generated from the farming systems averaged N254,866 per annum and contributes about 34.68% of total household income. The highest contribution of household food demand is from seasonal farming as 68.3% of the produce is for household consumption. The least came from commercial livestock farming, 3.2%. The proportion of produce fro home consumption for all systems averaged 46.22%. The problems faced by urban farmers include limited access to land, lack of credit and incessant harassment by municipal authorities. To protect the urban poor, the study recommends that urban agriculture should be integrated into urban planning.
C.A. Okezie , N.U. Inyang and Amaechi , 2008. Urban Agriculture as a Strategy for Improving Food Security in Uyo Metropolis of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria . Journal of Food Technology, 6: 110-113.