E-mail bulletin with news of the International Network of Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF Foundation).
In this bulletin you will find information on:1. Update on on-going RUAF projects
2. RUAF From Seed to Table projects and policy efforts continue to grow
3. New publications on urban agriculture
4. Selected upcoming events
The year 2012 has been an exciting year for the RUAF Foundation, with a number of changes in its organisation. First of all, RUAF Foundation now employs directly the staff working in its international coordination unit (the coordinating staff earlier used to be employed by one of the RUAF members: ETC). The staff of the RUAF partner organisations in the various regions continue to play an active role in the implementation of the RUAF programmes and projects.
Ir. Marielle Dubbeling has been appointed the new Director of the RUAF Foundation. She has taken over from Ir. Henk de Zeeuw, as per 1 October 2012. We again want to express our heart-felt thanks to Henk de Zeeuw for all the work he did in the past years. Henk will continue working for RUAF, though on a part-time basis. As per 15 January 2013, Ir. Henk Renting joined the RUAF-coordination unit on a part-time basis to support our research activities in urban and peri-urban agriculture, especially in Europe.
Another development, currently on-going is the widening of the RUAF partner network, to include more partners and cities around the globe. More on this in the next RUAF Update, or follow us at our website.
The RUAF website (www.ruaf.org) is currently being upgraded and has been shifted to another provider (which may have caused that you experienced some problems in the past few weeks with accessing the website, for which we apologise).
The Urban Agriculture Magazine no. 26, a collaboration with the Dutch WASH alliance, is under production and will be published on the RUAF website in April 2013. It will focus on Business approaches to Water, Sanitation and Resource Recovery. The next Magazine, no. 27 will focus on the Contribution of UPA on Climate Smart Urban Development and will be finalised towards the end of 2013. You can already send us your contributions.
New contact details
Info: info@ruaf.org
Marielle Dubbeling: m.dubbeling@ruaf.org
René van Veenhuizen: r.van.veenhuizen@ruaf.org
Henk Renting: h.renting@ruaf.org
Henk de Zeeuw: h.dezeeuw@ruaf.org
1. UPDATE ON ONGOING RUAF PROJECTS
Enhancing UPA in Liberia
The Government of Liberia and a number of NGOs (funded by USAID and EU) promote Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture in Greater Monrovia and in two smaller cities, Tubmanburg and Gbarnga.
Since 2010, Welthungerhilfe (WHH), CARE Liberia and the RUAF Foundation have developed the Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture Programmes in Greater Monrovia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Monrovia City Corporation, the Human Development Foundation, Action against Hunger (ACF), and the University of Liberia, with financial support from the EU. These and many other actors participate in the Multi Stakeholder Forum of Greater Monrovia, which covers activities of the cities of Monrovia and Paynesville and a number of townships.
Crucial issues in the promotion of urban agriculture have been identified and included in a City Strategic Agenda on urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in these cities. Collaboration is on-going, for instance, with the Ministry of Agriculture and FED/USAID on delivering agricultural extension to urban and eri-urban producers, with the newly developed Urban Farmers Association (FLUPFA), with the Lands Commission on mapping of urban land use, and with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the cities and townships on the inclusion of UPA in their new city ordinances.
For more information contact the local WHH and CARE offices or read more at the websites: http://upa-liberia.wetpaint.com and www.ruaf.org/node/2403. You can also download from these websites the recently published Policy Narrative on UPA in Liberia, and at http://upa-liberia.wetpaint.com you will find various reports, including of a Rapid Market Appraisal, Training manuals, and links to videos on urban agriculture in Monrovia and on the meat value chain in Liberia.
More information: René van Veenhuizen: r.van.veenhuizen@ruaf.org
Monitoring the impacts of urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry on climate change
Cities have an important role to play in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and international organisations and (city-)governments increasingly recognise the high potential of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture and Forestry (UPAF) in improving the urban environment and urban adaptation to climate change. UPAF is often credited with providing the following benefits: reducing “food miles” by producing fresh food close to urban markets; reducing fertilizer use and energy consumption by productive re-use of urban organic wastes; enhancing rainwater infiltration and reducing flooding; reducing the urban heat island effect by increasing the surface of green areas; enhancing carbon sequestration (urban forests; reducing food miles); improving diets and enhancing urban food securityand increasing job opportunitiess and income for the urban poor.
However, for UPAF to be promoted as an effective component of climate compatible development and for it to benefit from climate change financing, there is a need for greater empirical evidence and quantification of these benefits. Supported by CDKN (www.cdkn.org) RUAF Foundation interacted with a wide range of research partners, local and provincial governments and international organisations, through an electronic Huddle platform and a face-to-face workshop, in order to:
A) Design a framework for monitoring the impacts of UPAF on climate change;
B) Elaborate a project proposal for field-testing of this framework;
C) Strengthen capacities of partners and build south-south-north partnerships.
Project reports will shortly be uploaded to the RUAF website.
In a second phase of this project, field testing of the monitoring framework will actually be implemented from February 2013 onwards in the partner cities Rosario (Argentina), Kesbewa (Sri Lanka), Kathmandu (Nepal) and Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), building on the north-south-south partnerships that were built in the first project phase. In the medium term the project hopes to contribute to the integration of UPAF in local and international climate change strategies and financing.
More information: Marielle Dubbeling: m.dubbeling@ruaf.org
Use of Solid and Liquid Wastes for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture
The WASH Alliance is formed by six Dutch Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with extensive experience in Water Sanitation and Health (WASH). Visit: the WASH Alliance at: www.washalliance.nl RUAF is a thematic partner of the WASH alliance, specifically on the issue of productive use of household (waste-)water and organic solid wastes.
By “productive use” we refer to the (re)use of (waste)water and wastes for small scale agricultural production activities with the purpose to: i. secure household consumption and improve nutrition and/or, ii. generate income by bartering or selling the surplus produce, and in such a way, iii. reduce costs / generate income for WASH systems maintenance and provide jobs and income for people in the community, iv. improve natural resource management (resource recovery and reuse of precious resources).
Assessments and multi stakeholder meetings have been finalized in selected cities: Tamale in Ghana, Dire Dawa in Ethiopia, Birendranagar/Surkhet in Nepal and Kaijado in Kenya. Similarities in the opportunities and constraints in the development of water and sanitation and in the potential of productive re-use, were noted. Re-use systems which raised high interest included: enhancing soil fertility by use of animal and human manure and the multiple use of safe waste-water re-use at household or community level. In addition, the following needs were identified: enhancing the role of UPA (including re-use) in city development by awareness raising; support to city authorities in land use mapping, planning and zonification, and development of appropriate regulation; support to urban farmers and their organisations improving their access to water en nutrients and assisting them in value chain development. These activities have been agreed in work plans for 2013. An international sharing and learning workshop of the WASH partners is planned for May 2013.
More information: René van Veenhuizen: r.van.veenhuizen@ruaf.org
Resource Recovery and Reuse: From Research to Implementation
RUAF’s partner IWMI and WHO collaborate in this SDC funded project. The two objectives of the project are:
• To increase the scale and viability of the productive reuse of water, nutrients, organic matter and energy from domestic and agro-industrial waste streams through the analysis, promotion and implementation of economically viable business models – IWMI led
• To safeguard public health in the context of rapidly expanding use of wastewater, excreta and grey-water in agriculture & aquaculture and protect vulnerable groups from specific health risks associated with this pattern of agricultural development – WHO led
The project in its first year analyzed existing business cases from across the globe in order to identify successful business models for their replication elsewhere. For this, IWMI, WHO and their Swiss partners SANDEC, Swiss TPH and CEWAS are undertaking in 2013 feasibility studies for business model implementation at largest possible scale in Hanoi, Kampala, Lima and Bangalore. The feasibility studies will go hand in hand with the development and testing of Sanitation Safety Plans to ensure safe waste reuse. An important target group for recovered nutrient and water resources are the urban farmers, but even more the larger group of peri-urban farmers to support large scale waste valorization. More information: Pay Drechsel, IWMI: p.drechsel@cgiar.org
Towards sustainable modes of urban and peri-urban food provisioning
Until recently, short food supply chains and multifunctional agriculture were considered to be part of the rural development realm. This new EU funded project looks at these topics from the perspective of urban rather than rural development. Short food supply chains have been advocated as a means to reduce the environmental impact of the agro-food system. However, to improve the ecological performance of the agro-food system other flows (e.g. nutrients, water, and urban waste) need to be considered as well. In the current context these aspects are usually treated separately. This project will treat them in an integrated manner. Research will be carried out in seven European city-regions (Rotterdam (NL), Rome (IT), Ghent (BE), Vigo (ES), Bristol (UK), Zürich (CH) and Riga (LV)) in collaboration with a diverse group of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and will identify innovate modes of urban and peri-urban food provisioning, nutrient, water and waste management, and multifunctional use of urban and peri-urban space. RUAF Foundation partners in this project in order to help establish links with researchers, policymakers and SMEs in these domains in developing countries. For this purpose, RUAF and its partners have started working on three thematic studies to document and analyze innovative experiences in these fields. An electronic Dare to Share Fair will be launched mid-February to engage in further north-south dialogue. Please watch the RUAF website and the project website (www.supurbfood.eu) for further announcements.
More information: Marielle Dubbeling: m.dubbeling@ruaf.org
2. THE RUAF-FROM SEED TO TABLE IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS AND POLICY EFFORTS (2009-2011) CONTINUE TO GROW
Sri Lanka
The Ministry of Agriculture, Western Province-Sri Lanka and the RUAF Foundation, through its member the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) organized on 13 and 14 October 2012 a national workshop on the Promotion of urban agriculture in the Western province and the Formulation of a National Policy on urban agriculture for Sri Lanka. The National Minister for Agriculture made a clear commitment to develop a national policy on urban agriculture. Next steps include sensitization meetings with involved line ministries like health, urban development and agrarian services and others, and the elaboration of a cabinet paper. The Western Province is very much commended for their leadership in this field. The Central Province Council has asked for support to develop a similar provincial programme on urban agriculture and food security in their region. RUAF and IWMI will continue to support the policy process. Contact: Priyanie Amerasinghe (IWMI-Hyderabad/RUAF Asia, India): p.amerasinghe@cgiar.org
Ibadan (Nigeria)
From 2009-2011, the RUAF From Seed to Table (FStT) programme was successfully implemented by the Justice, Development and Peace Commission in Ibadan in collaboration with several institutions, including the National Horticultural Research institute (NIHORT), and Akinyele Local Government. The vegetable producer groups at Odogbo barracks were supported in the improvement of their organisation and their farming practices. In 2012, the producers groups continue to operate and have regular contact with other stakeholders. They still hold regular meetings and group savings allow them to keep on investing in their farms and the buying of seeds. Group marketing has not yet been fully achieved due to lack of market stalls. They are negotiating with Ibadan North LG and the State Ministry of Agiculture to get a permanent market space, and continue to get support, when requested, by JDPC team, NIHORT (especially for seeds), and Akinyele LG. Contact: Philip Amoah (IWMI-Ghana/RUAF Anglophone West Africa): p.amoah@cgiar.org
Accra (Ghana)
AWGUPA (the MSF platform in Accra) is still active and meets regularly chaired by the MofA Director Mr. Armarteio. AWGUPA recently discussed various issues including the need for support to the UPA FStT farmers that sell their produce in the CityVeg kiosks. Meetings were held with the three farmers groups and the kiosk operator, to discuss how the farmers can benefit more from the business and a possible relocation of the second kiosk at the Ministry of Agriculture area is being negotiated to attract more customers. The CityVeg kiosk at the University of Ghana, Legon is doing very well and is also being used by students from the University for their Project Work. The sales are good and some items other than vegetables have been added, however the return to the farmers remains limited. The farmer groups, guided by the University, will expand their sale to other kiosks, to improve their income. Contact: Philip Amoah (IWMI-Ghana/RUAF Anglophone West Africa): p.amoah@cgiar.org
Bulawayo (Zimbabwe)
The Multi-stakeholder Forum on UPA in Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) is still very active and coordinating related activities in the city. A new project on UPA by the Zimbabwe Democracy Development Trust sourced for partnerships through the forum. The poultry project at the Gum Plantation, supported by RUAF from 2009-2011, is growing: it has now 128 farmer members, and new markets have been identified in the city, while the management of the project has been improved. Discussions are on-going with the Council to change regulations in order to allow farmers the keeping of more than 25 birds without a special permit. The mushroom and rabbit projects, also at the Gum Plantation, have absorbed 321 additional farmers. These projects and the other gardens use chicken manure from the poultry project.
Contact: Takawira Mubvami (MDP/RUAF Southern Africa): tmubvami@mdpafrica.org.zw
Francophone West Africa
In Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), the production and marketing of cabbage has increased, using less chemical fertilizers. Some professional buyers, like Koba Ranch, are interested to buy bulk produce, while the direct sale to the community continues. The financial and operational arrangements have been improved. The women producers have decided to set up their own cooperative and take control of their own marketing operations. The high illiteracy level among the farmers hampers record keeping for the business, which is the main challenge at the moment. The project was presented at a workshop of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) organized in September 2012 in Bobo-Dioulasso, for its municipal partners of Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin, Tanzania, and Ivory Cost.
In Porto-Novo (Benin), the improved production of tomatoes continues and has interested other producer groups. The NGO IAMD is experimenting with a loan for these urban producers, which, after three credit cycles, shows a satisfactory reimbursement rate.
Contact: Moussa Sy (IAGU/ RUAF Francophone West Africa): moussa@iagu.org
Lima (Peru)
In October 2012, The Metropolitan Municipality of Lima (Peru) approved two new ordinances that recognise and promote urban agriculture in the city: (1) Ordinance N° 1628 approves the Environmental Metropolitan Policy, and makes explicit reference to the promotion of urban agriculture and the re-use of treated waste water for urban greening; (2) Ordinance N° 1629, promotes the development of urban agriculture as a strategy for environmental management, social inclusion and local economic development in the Province of Lima and announces the creation of a Municipal Programme on Urban Agriculture. For the coming 2 years the following targets have been set:
• the creation of more than 2000 new urban gardens
• to join 33000 urban farmers in an urban farming network
• to establish 2 new ecological market fairs
• to institutionalise the urban agriculture programme and ensure its funding
• to develop an integrated land use plan (including urban agriculture) for two peri-urban valleys of Lima.
Contact: Gunther Merzthal (Municipality of Lima/RUAF): gmerzthal@hotmail.com
More updates on other regions (China and the Middle East) in our net RUAF Update!
3. SELECTED NEW PUBLICATIONS ON URBAN AGRICULTURE
Growing Greener Cities in Africa
This report highlights a key component of sustainable urban development: urban and peri-urban horticulture (UPH). Based on an Africa-wide survey and on case studies prepared by national experts, the report reviews the current state of UPH in countries across the continent, from Algeria to Zambia, and in cities from Nairobi to Dakar. It presents major findings, detailed profiles of urban and peri-urban horticulture in 22 countries, and recommendations for the development of market gardens to serve Africa’s rapidly growing urban population.
The English and French version of this FAO publication is available at:
http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/greenercities/en/SOUPHA/download.html (English version)
http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/greenercities/fr/index.html (French version)
Safer Irrigation Practices for Reducing Vegetable Contamination in Urban Sub-Saharan Africa
An illustrated guide for farmers and extension officers. IWMI-KNUST 2012
Waste water use for food production has been investigated for several years now, especially by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) under the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF), in collaboration with RUAF, FAO, WHO, IDRC and others, and has led to many publications. Based on work in Ghana with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), IWMI developed an illustrated guide for farmers and extension officers. IWMI successfully collaborated with several local organisations in understanding the complicated issue of re-use and each other’s stakes. Through a series of meetings with famers, vendors, consumers and extension staff safety measures can be analysed and accepted. The 14 illustrations of the guide can be used for sessions in the field or classroom.
On Farm Practices for the Safe Use of Wastewater in Urban and Peri-Urban Horticulture, a training handbook for farmers field schools, FAO 2012, ISBN 978-92-5-107330-8
The training handbook for farmer field schools (FFS) on safe use of wastewater in urban and peri-urban horticulture by FAO uses the same material developed in Ghana by FAO, IWMI and KNUST. It can be used in all kinds of specific or broader field school approaches, or stand alone in working with farmers and others along the farm to fork chain, in reducing the risk of using waste water. The training handbook is aimed at working with farmers using waste water and focuses on low-cost and low-tech on-farm wastewater treatment and safe irrigation practices. Both documents are concise and provide a good basis for developing local sessions.
Both publications are available as pdf at: www.iwmi.org, www.fao.org and www.ruaf.org as well as at www.ais.unwater.org
Les décharges d’ordures en Afrique
This book, recently published by IAGU, presents and analyses the results and lessons gained from the Focus City Project in Dakar (funded by IDRC). Urban agriculture is a component of this book that highlights pilot projects on pig breeding and alternative horticulture. For more information, please visit: www.iagu.org
4. SELECTED UPCOMING EVENTS (For more events see our website: www.ruaf.org)
National Conference "Enhancing Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture for sustainable livelihoods in Liberia", 14-15 February, 2013, Monrovia, Liberia.
This National Conference will take stock of various programmes on UPA in Liberia. It will be held at the Monrovia City Hall, with side events at the University of Liberia main campus. RUAF will present its activities in the project. More information can be found at: www.upa-liberia.wetpaint.com
International Colloquium on Urban Agriculture, 27 February- 2 March, Casablanca, Morocco
This colloquium will bring together researchers and city representatives from various countries to discuss different aspects of urban agriculture, including urban resource management, local governance, feeding the city and spatial designs. More information can be found at: http://casa2013.wordpress.com
Feeding Cities: Food Security in a Rapidly Urbanising World, 13-15 March, 2013, Philadelphia, USA.
An international conference examining the critical relationship between urbanization and food security throughout the world. RUAF will speak on the role of urban and peri-urban agriculture in building more resilient urban food systems. For more information: http://www.feedingcities.com
International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition, 13-15 May, 2013, Rome Italy
The issue of urbanization and consequent degradation of forests and trees (including bush meat) induce to revisit territorial management and to link rural to urban. Urban forestry and agriculture (including inter alia agroforestry and fruit tree plantations) support significantly food and nutrition security of urban dwellers.
Find further information on: http://www.fao.org/forestry/food-security
Resilient Urban Food Systems Forum, June, 1, 2013, Bonn-Germany
RUAF is an endorsing partner of the upcoming Resilient Urban Food Systems Forum.
The ICLEI Resilient Cities 2013 introduces a special one day forum on resilient urban food systems and welcomes interest from cities, local governments, researchers, businesses and experts working in any part of city-region food systems. Taking place on the second day of the Resilient Cities 2013 congress, the Forum will be interactive with workshops exploring leading city food systems and creating strategies for local governments to adopt in their own communities. Join the Forum as part of the three day congress, or attend with a special one day admittance and fee! For more information visit: http://resilient-cities.iclei.org/bonn2013/urban-food-systems-forum/
XXV Congress of the European Society for Rural Sociology, 29 July – 1 August, 2013, Florence, Italy
With a working group on urban agriculture: social inclusion and sustainable cities in times of economic crisis.
For more information: http://www.florenceesrs2013.com/
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