Wendy Mendes

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

Although Vancouver is a city of soaring glass towers and modern urban amenities, it is also located
within one of the most productive agricultural regions in Canada. Combine the favourable climatic
conditions with municipal policies that encourage sustainable development and the result is a city
in which urban agriculture is thriving.

Ivana Christina Lovo and Zilá Raquel Pereira Costa

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

In 2003, the project "Optimisation of Use of Vacant Land for Urban Agriculture" started in Governador
Valadares. This project was promoted by the Urban Management Program for Latin America and the Caribbean (UMPLAC/UNHABITAT), the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada and IPES – Promotion of Sustainable Development in Peru (see also UAM no 11).

Dick Foeken

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

Despite its importance as a livelihood source, farming in towns is (still) illegal in many African
countries. By-laws frequently date from colonial times and forbid all agricultural activity within the
boundaries of urban centres, as it does not fit in the western perception of what constitutes ‘urban’ (e.g. the city-is-beautiful idea) and because it is believed to cause all kinds of environmental hazards. However, as the practice has become increasingly widespread over the last two decades, government policy has generally changed from being mainly restrictive to being tolerant or even encouraging.

Takawira Mubvami

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

Bulawayo is Zimbabwe’s second largest city. Once Zimbabwe’s industrial hub, the city has lost most of its major industries, through outright closure or relocation to the capital city, Harare. The city is thus
home to a relatively poor urban population, compared to the population of Harare. A policy framework on urban agriculture is under development since 1996, and is supported by RUAF.

Nelson Obirih-Opareh and Theophilus Otchere-Larbi

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

More than 40 percent of Ghana’s 20 million people lived in urban areas in 2000, and the country’s urban population was growing at an estimated 4 percent per annum (GSS, 2000, Cofie et al. 2003), with some cities growing at an annual rate of up to 4.4 percent. This increase is taking place at a time when the rural population is aging and agricultural productivity in the rural areas is declining. As a result, an increasing number of city dwellers have resorted to urban agriculture, using urban runoff/wastewater and vacant open spaces for food production. These activities contribute to the food supply, employment creation and livelihood support in Accra.

CAI Jianming, LIU Shenghe, YANG Zhenshan, YUAN Hong and JIANG Fang

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

This paper presents the main points of the draft policy guidelines for development of urban agriculture in Beijing. These guidelines are currently awaiting final approval by the Beijing People’s Congress
and will be an important milestone in the development of urban and periurban agriculture in the city of Beijing in the coming decades.

Gunther Merzthal

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

In Peru urbanisation is intense, especially in metropolitan Lima. Massive migration resulted in urbanisation of poverty, which in the case of Lima is concentrated in the expanding outer zones of the city. In this context of an impoverished urban-rural interface, urban agriculture is a promising alternative that can make an important contribution to the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals for fighting poverty and ensuring food security. This article describes experiences in two districts of metropolitan Lima: Villa Maria del Triunfo and Lurigancho-Chosica.

Henk de Zeeuw and Marielle Dubbeling

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

In the foregoing two articles in this issue, criteria for an effective policy on urban agriculture were
discussed and various policy measures and instruments for a municipal policy on urban agriculture were presented. But how should a participatory policy formulation process be organised? How can it be initiated? Who should participate and when? What steps should be followed, and what recommendations should be taken into account? This article describes the importance of interactive or participatory processes of policy formulation, details the different steps to be taken and highlights lessons learned thus far by RUAF partners and various other organisations.

Henk de Zeeuw, Marielle Dubbeling, Joanna Wilbers and René van Veenhuizen

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

Once municipal authorities understand that urban agriculture can contribute to some of their policy goals, they often seek to facilitate the development of urban agriculture by means of pro-active policies and intervention strategies that enhance the socio-economic and nutritional benefits of urban agriculture, while reducing the associated health and environmental risks. In this way, municipal policy makers and support institutions can substantially contribute to the development of safe and sustainable urban agriculture.

Joanna Wilbers and Henk de Zeeuw

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agriculture

In a growing number of cities, local governments have recognised the importance of urban agriculture and are designing new policies related to urban agriculture or are reformulating existing ones. In this article the authors discuss some requirements for effective policy and subsequently use these criteria to critically review some of the policies on urban agriculture that have been drawn up recently (1). It is hoped that the reader will derive some lessons that may be of help to develop effective policies on urban agriculture in other cities.