Urban agriculture and poverty alleviation in developing countries

Abstract

Urban agriculture has served for a long time as a vital asset in the livelihood strategies of urban households in developing countries. It has been considered since then as a relevant input in responding to the embryonic economic situation of developing countries resulting to the structural adjustment programs and increasing migrations. Urban agriculture has expanded rapidly during the last two decades. And practicing it, will upgrade the income generation for the abundant unqualified workforce in urban cities in developing countries. It is therefore, the role of political leaders to regulate that fruitful sector, with (i) the provision of land regulation policies, meaning the legalization of urban agriculture as a step towards securing lands for the urban poor. Its illegal consideration status has left a governance vacuum, which should be filled through policy formulation and regular institutionalized management in a participatory manner including all relevant stakeholders, if food security has to be increased and environment improved in an urban development context, (ii) the supply of fertilizers and seeds for cereals and tubers in order to improve the expected harvest capacities and monitor the process with a free of charge availability and supply of agronomy technicians staff (iii) and finally with training programs related to the same. This article also gives an overview of the advantage of planning a city, a definition and pros of urban economy in country development. Finally, as a social sciences paper, it aims at giving pathways for political leaders in how to reconsider the abundant unqualified work force in urban cities in developing countries.