Edited by: Alice Hovorka, Henk de Zeeuw and Mary Njenga, 2009, Practical Action Publishing, Rugby, UK.

Since the start of the first RUAF programme until now, many RUAF Publications have been published. On this page, you will find links to the the RUAF Publications available online, subdivided per type of publication. If you are looking for non-RUAF publications, you should search our bibliographic database. If you are looking for a certain Urban Agriculture Magazine article, please go to the Urban Agriculture Magazine section of this website.

Anne Scheinberg and Yuan Zheng

In: UA Magazine no 23 - Urban nutrient management, pp. 35-38

Domestic waste in developing countries contains a great deal of organic material – ranging from 60 to 90 per cent (Lacoste and Chalmin, 2007). Some of this waste is routinely fed to animals, or decomposes in heaps in landfills, illegal dumps or transfer stations. There is widespread agreement that composting is a less expensive and more environmentally attractive way to manage this waste, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Slideshow on issues in urban agriculture on the website of IDRC

Agricultural research organizations have not yet integrated gender as one of the key elements to harness the diversity of experiences and capabilities of target communities' in problem diagnosis, technology development and dissemination. In line with this, the International Potato Center (CIP) has established a Gender and Diversity Committee through the Gender and Diversity Program and initiated the drafting of guidelines for ensuring gender responsiveness in her institutional set up and research through the Urban Harvest program with the support of the CGIAR Systemwide PRGA Program.

Participatory Research and Gender Analysis is a system-wide CGIAR initiative to assess and develop methods and organisational approaches for gender-sensitive participatory research and to promote their use in plant breeding and in managing crops and natural resources. The website brings a selection of CGIAR publications on plant breeding, NRM, gender and stakeholder analysis, impact assessment, and mainstreaming PRGA.

In: Irrigated Urban Vegetable Production in Ghana - Characteristics, Benefits and Risks by Emmanuel Obuobie, Bernard Keraita, George Danso, Philip Amoah, Olufunke O. Cofie, Liqa Raschid-Sally and Pay

Alice J. Hovorka and Diana Lee-Smith

In: Cities Farming for the Future - Urban Agriculture for Green and Productive Cities

Urban agriculture has been embraced and promoted by the international development community as a means for urban dwellers to achieve sustainable livelihoods and socio-economic advancement. Many low-income households who farm in the cities gain a more consistent source of food and better nutrition. They can also earn or free up cash for non-food items. Advocacy for urban agriculture was initially focused on the policy agenda, but has moved recently into the realm of municipal development. Now that municipal authorities increasingly recognise this pivotal activity, it is easier for urban agriculture practitioners to integrate it into planning and decisionmaking mechanisms at the city level. This chapter seeks to make clear why this trajectory must be conceptualised along gender lines, since
gender dynamics are central to the form, function, organisation and structure of urban farming.

René van Veenhuizen

In: Cities Farming for the Future - Urban Agriculture for Green and Productive Cities

Attention to urban agriculture has increased markedly during the last couple of decades. The number of activities to promote urban agriculture at international, national and local level has grown, but urban farmers in many cities in the world still struggle to get their main survival strategy recognised by city authorities. The demand of policy makers and local practitioners for inspiring examples of successful policies and actions in cities is therefore growing. Urban agriculture contributes to a wide variety of urban issues and is increasingly being accepted and used as a tool in sustainable city development. Currently the challenge is its integration into city planning and facilitation of its multiple benefits for urban inhabitants. This book seeks to present the current state of affairs regarding urban agriculture and sustainable urban development.