Urban Agriculture for Food Security and Income Generation in South Africa and Mozambique (UFISAMO)

Urbanization as a current global megatrend represents enormous challenges to urban planning. The international community with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is committed to "sustainable cities" and a "world without hunger". Urban agriculture is discussed for its potential to contribute to food security and income, in addition to ecological and social benefits for the wider population. At the same time, urban gardens compete with other, often more lucrative uses: gardens and fields are often transformed into construction land.

Objectives of the research project

1. To contribute to the improvement of food and nutrition security and to increased income of disadvantaged urban populations in Cape Town (South Africa) and Maputo (Mozambique) through action-oriented interdisciplinary research on urban agriculture (crop and animal production).
2. To improve the production and marketing of urban horticulture and broiler products. To this end, proven production methods (good practices) are to be identified and good methods for disseminating these methods are to be applied, taking into account the organisational structures and nutritional habits of the actors.
3. To integrate the topic "urban agriculture" into the curricula of the African partner universities as well as the expansion of learning and research networks in southern Africa on the topic, as well as sensitization of political decision-makers to the importance of urban agriculture for the urban population.