Our modern “traditional” agricultural system is not sustainable. This system is highly dependent on limited resources such as land, oil and water. It also has numerous negative impacts, including the depletion of resources leading to higher prices, pollutions leading to health risks, global warming, deforestation and biodiversity loss. These dependencies and consequences are combined with a growing and ever more affluent global population which requires greater amount of resources to support its growth and which increases the negative impacts on the environment. All indicates that our system is reaching its limits and that there is a need for new solutions. This research introduces the general context (problem and existing research) and explores an alternative, namely: Intensive Vertical Urban Agriculture (I.V.U.A.). This method seems to offer two particularly interesting promises beneficial for Sustainable Urban Development: the reduction of transportation, and the integration of food production in the urban nutrient and energy cycles. However, to achieve these potential benefits the technology (in a broad sense) has to meet several challenges and there is a need for further experimentation. This study explores challenges of I.V.U.A. and key factors enabling or hindering experimentation in this field. This investigation identified key barriers to further development of I.V.U.A. through the use of a case study. The Plantagon International ABis a unique project which will be built in 2013, in Linkoping, Sweden. It will be the first vertical greenhouse of a considerable scale in the world with a research and commercial aim. Barriers to I.V.U.A. were identified as: - Lack of awareness about the problems with our modern food supply, and hence missed opportunities for S.U.D. - Attitudes that are working against I.V.U.A. and competition for recognition with other forms of agriculture as alternative to the problem of food production - Lack of technical abilities, knowledge and skills in I.V.U.A. - Funding/supporting infrastructures (physical or informational) - Blockages that are the result of administrations and policies which are largely based around “traditional” agriculture. Finally, a set of recommendations was drawn from the interviews of the case study and the literature review, to help planners and decision-makers lift these barriers and enable experimenting. These four implications to consider and explore are: - Gaining understanding of the complexity of S.U.D.problems and the need for a wide range of solutions which include I.V.U.A.; - Including a greater amount of stakeholders, and considering contexts - Improving access to land but also to resources and infrastructures - Building support to enable I.V.U.A. to thrive on its own

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Lee R. Skabelund / Hurricane Katrina displaced many New Orleans residents, leaving in its wake tens of thousands of vacant lots and buildings. In 2010, estimates show that over 57,000 properties lay empty in the city, especially in the poorer neighborhoods. These properties are not contributing to the fabric of the city; in most places, they are a sign of defeat, an eyesore, or a haven for crime. The neighborhood of St. Roch is experiencing the negative effects of these properties day in and day out and from year to year. Almost a quarter of the lots are vacant in the St. Roch neighborhood, leading to crime and creating a nuisance and a blemish on the community. Coupled with the lack of ownership there is an ailing stormwater management infrastructure leading to areas of flooding after routine storms. In addition to these concerns, there is a lack of fresh, inexpensive and accessible food throughout the area. Although St. Roch’s vacant lots have a negative effect on the community, they present a tremendous opportunity. Their dispersal around the neighborhood presents the opportunity to connect them to churches, schools, retail outlets, as well as providing other uses and services to the neighborhood. The thoughtful design of these locations will demonstrate a site-sensitive approach to the local ecology, culture, and economy of the neighborhood. Such design includes the community throughout the entire lifecycle of each site from its planning phase to the end of its use. The primary goal throughout the planning and design process is to foster stewardship for both the landscape and the community as a whole by means of collaborative planning, direct interaction with each site during implementation, and the observation and monitoring of crucial processes throughout a site’s lifecycle. The intent of this project is to apply a participatory framework to the site design process in order to rejuvenate critical areas of the St. Roch neighborhood. This project seeks to demonstrate the need for a collaborative process while allowing for a balance between the experts who help design each site and the community members who take ownership of the renewed parcels.

At Constitutional level, legislation in South Africa entrenches the provision of food and water for all its citizens. In instances where citizens are unable to provide in these basic requirements for themselves, social assistance should be provided to ensure a healthy life for all. In this regard, legislation and Town Planning ordinances and regulations are in place to ensure that built-up environments in which we live and work are healthy and safe for all. However, this study revealed that food provisioning by community gardeners is peripheral in legislation, ordinances and regulations and the practice of urban agriculture is, in many instances, in conflict with the principle of safe and healthy food for all. Community gardeners/urban agriculturists are food farmers within the city who produce food for themselves and others without the checks and balances that are otherwise applicable to food brought into the city from outside. While food production on any piece of available land is vital for these community gardeners for their sustenance and survival, it could become a potential health hazard if no checks or testing measures are in place to ensure that the food being produced is safe for human consumption. The study sought the views and perceptions of community gardeners, residents, Environmental Health Practitioners and Town Planners in the eThekwini Metro region with regards to community gardening/urban agriculture and its impact on food provisioning to citizens. For data collection, a one-on-one interviewing survey method was used with all four groups and results were calculated and converted to average percentages and analysed. The results revealed that there was conflict between legislation, ordinances and regulations regarding the production of food in the built-up environment of the EThekwini Municipality. It was also revealed that there was no cohesive policy to control the production of food produced and sold by community gardeners in the study area. The need for control measures and regulations regarding food production and sale by community gardeners was highlighted. Moreover, where ineffective or none such measures or controls exist, a transparent and consultative process involving all stakeholders must take place in order to establish up viable and sustainable control measures. The people who will be most affected by these rules, namely the community gardeners, should be pivotal role players in the establishment of a sustainable urban agriculture policy. Recommendations to address the problems illuminated by the study are presented. / Environmental Sciences / Ph.D. (Environmental Management)

Consequences of human activity in natural environments can be observed in urban phenomena. Urban Heat Island is one of those consequences, it is characterized by higher temperature levels in surface-cover and air in urban centers compared with its surrounding rural areas. UHIs are present in cities of arid ecosystems such as Phoenix and Tucson. Existing urban development trends contribute to UHI episodes. Urban Agriculture (UA) is an emerging environmental strategy and, contrary to traditional and industrial agricultural methods, UA systems provide the option of not using soil, its geometrical arrangement lets grow crops disregarding of extensive surface of land to be consumed. UA systems can be implemented as building fabric components. Urban Agriculture provides access to healthier and economic food, it is more energy efficient and promotes a more vegetarian diet which can eventually contribute diminishing health problems such as obesity and toxicity. A response for achieving a decrease in temperature levels in an urban arid region scenario can be established by demonstrating the following premise: "Urban Heat Island effect in arid regions can be mitigated if vegetated surface in the form of agriculture is properly integrated in the built environment". Research procedures were applied at building scale. Results involved physical objective data acquisition. Research methods required the use of software and thermodynamic tools to measure thermal behavior of samples. The impact of vegetated cover in temperature levels and thermal comfort in an outdoor scenario was digitally simulated. The selected research case contributed as a source of data for comparison and baseline benchmarking of thermodynamic circumstances. Employment of green infrastructure in cities can contribute to the improvement of energy efficiency in buildings and developing self-sufficient communities. Urban agriculture comprises implications and side beneficial environmental consequences in arid habitats beyond decreasing temperature levels in cities, such effects are energy conservation, reducing air pollution, diminishing food security concerns, improving soil quality and runoff wastewater as well as cutting down fossil fuel use in transportation of food. In that sense, future research fields include water quality and availability, innovative emerging materials, climate analysis, societal and cultural value, Net zero development and energy efficiency as well as solid waste management.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Urban agriculture (UA) has always been practised in African urban centres. Only since the turn of the twentieth century, however, have development researchers turned their attention to its potential as a sustainable source of food security. Notwithstanding the initial optimism in this regard, many have questioned whether UA is viable and whether it does deliver the benefits that many espouse. This is because most of the benefits are evaluated in terms of their economic viability or amount of produce grown to sustain a family, and often ignore what benefits may be found beyond this. What this dissertation argues is that there are a range of physical and social benefits that accrue from UA that cannot necessarily be measured. Research on the ground suggests that the benefits of UA are more complex than supposed, as confirmed by a number of qualitative case studies on UA in Africa. Much attention is given to the food security and income dimensions of UA. There are, however, also ecological, empowerment and gender dimensions. Throughout Africa, UA is used primarily for food and economic security, through eating produce and trading it on the informal market. The economic benefits of UA, however, are least available to the poor and to women, due primarily to resource limitations, tenure insecurity and patriarchal cultures. While such findings suggest that the benefits of UA bypass those who need them most, it is found that these limitations may be overcome with support from non-governmental organisations (NGOs). NGOs play a key role in promoting sustainable livelihoods. This is achieved through injections of resources and investing in human and social capital. In Cape Town, UA has been supported by NGOs for many years. More recently, local government has supported this effort with a UA policy that legitimises public support through resource donations and the provision of land. The question this dissertation sought to investigate was to what extent UA is contributing to the livelihoods of those living in Cape Town‟s largest low-income area, the Cape Flats. As many of the UA projects in Cape Town are run by NGOs, the focus was on a selection of these projects. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were held with NGOs and cultivators throughout the Cape Flats. Four different types of cultivation feature, namely home cultivators, cultivation groups, institutional cultivators and garden centres. Home cultivators operate on a small scale on the property around their dwelling, while cultivation groups and institutional cultivators use larger tracts of land. Cultivation groups operate independently, usually on council land, while institutional cultivators cultivate on behalf of the institution whose land they use. All cultivators are supported by the NGO‟s garden centres, the administrative hub of their UA programme. The findings show that some benefits of UA relate largely to the type of UA being practised. For home cultivators, UA strengthens relationships and expands networks. Institutional plots teach children to care for the environment. The economic and food security benefits of UA are evident in formal groups, and NGO-led local garden centres play a supportive role for all cultivators. Other benefits are felt by all cultivators. For example, cultivators from all types stated that UA had taught them to eat healthily and to care for the environment, and all cultivators felt an increased sense of self-worth. Furthermore, all cultivators gave produce away to those around them. A prerequisite for these benefits, however, is successful cultivation, which is only possible with the training and support offered by the NGOs. The findings suggest that NGOs are vital both for ensuring that UA has the greatest impact in low-income areas and for avoiding the limitations of UA that are evident throughout Africa. Nevertheless, the uptake and sustainability of UA in Cape Town are limited by bureaucratic hurdles to land access, limitations of donor funding and widespread attitudes of dependency in its target areas. It is therefore likely that the expansion of UA in Cape Town will remain slow until such limitations are addressed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Stedelike landbou (SL) is nog altyd in die stedelike sentrums van Afrika beoefen. Dis egter eers sedert die begin van die twintigste eeu dat ontwikkelingsnavorsers aandag geskenk het aan SL se potensiaal as ‟n volhoubare bron van voedselsekerheid. Ondanks die aanvanklike optimisme in hierdie verband, het baie bevraagteken of SL moontlik is en of dit die voordele wat baie voorstaan, oplewer. Dit is omdat die meeste van die voordele geëvalueer is in terme van hul ekonomiese potensiaal of die opbrengs om „n familie te onderhou en ignoreer dikwels watter ander voordele daar mag wees. Wat hierdie proefskrif betoog is dat SL 'n verskeidenheid fisiese en sosiale voordele inhou, wat nie noodwendig gemeet kan word nie. Navorsing op grondvlak dui daarop dat die voordele van SL meer kompleks is as wat veronderstel word, soos bevestig deur 'n aantal kwalitatiewe gevallestudies van SL in Afrika. Baie aandag word aan die voedselsekerheid en inkomste dimensies van SL gegee. Daar is egter ook ekologiese, bemagtigings- en geslagsdimensies. Regdeur Afrika word SL hoofsaaklik vir voedselsekerheid en inkomste gebruik, deurdat die produkte geëet word en op die informele mark verhandel word. Arm mense en vroue put egter die minste ekonomiese voordele uit SL, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van hulpbronbeperkings, verblyfregonsekerheid en patriargale kulture. Terwyl sulke bevindinge daarop dui dat die voordele van SL diegene omseil wat hulle die meeste nodig het, is daar gevind dat hierdie beperkings deur ondersteuning van nieregeringsorganisasies (NRO‟s) oorkom kan word. NRO‟s speel ‟n belangrike rol in die bevordering van ‟n volhoubare lewensbestaan. Dit word bereik deur middel van skenkings van hulpbronne en belegging in menslike en sosiale kapitaal. In Kaapstad is SL vir baie jare al deur NRO‟s ondersteun. Onlangs het die plaaslike regering hierdie poging ondersteun deur ‟n SL-beleid wat openbare steun deur helpbronskenkings en die voorsiening van grond legitimeer. Die vraag wat hierdie proefskrif ondersoek het, is in watter mate SL bydra tot die lewensbestaan van diegene wat in Kaapstad se grootste laeinkomstegebied, die Kaapse Vlakte, woon. Omdat baie van die SL-projekte in Kaapstad deur NRO‟s bestuur word, was die fokus op ‟n seleksie van hierdie projekte. Diepte-onderhoude en fokusgroepgesprekke is met landbouers en NRO‟s dwarsoor die Kaapse Vlakte gehou. Vier verskillende tipes landbou kom voor, naamlik tuislandbouers, landbougroepe, institusionele landbouers en tuinsentrums. Tuislandbouers werk op ‟n klein skaal op die grond rondom om hulle woning, terwyl die landbougroepe en institusionele landbouers groter stukke grond bewerk. Landbougroepe werk onafhanklik, gewoonlik op grond wat aan die standsraad behoort, terwyl institusionele landbouers namens die instansie wat se grond hulle gebruik, verbou. Alle landbouers word deur die NRO-tuinsentrums ondersteun. Hierdie tuinsentrums dien ook as die administratiewe sentra van die NRO‟s se SL-program. Die bevindinge toon dat die voordele van SL verband hou met die tipe SL wat beoefen is. Vir die tuislandbouers versterk SL verhoudings en brei dit netwerke uit. Institusionele tuine leer kinders om vir die omgewing te sorg. Die ekonomiese en voedselsekerheidsvoordele van SL was duidelik in formele groepe, en die NRO-tuinsentrums speel ‟n ondersteunende rol vir al drie tipes. Die landbouers het ook ander voordele ervaar. Byvoorbeeld, alle soorte landbouers het genoem dat SL hulle geleer het om gesond te eet en vir die omgewing te sorg en ook dat hulle ‟n verhoogde gevoel van eiewaarde ervaar. Verder het al die landbouers van hulle oes aan mense rondom hulle weggegee. ‟n Voorvereiste vir hierdie voordele was egter suksesvolle verbouing, wat net moontlik was met die opleiding en ondersteuning wat deur die NRO‟s aangebied is. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat NRO‟s noodsaaklik is om te verseker dat SL die grootste impak in lae-inkomstegebiede kan hê, en om die beperkings van SL wat dwarsdeur Afrika duidelik is, te vermy. Nogtans word die opname en volhoubaarheid van SL in Kaapstad beperk deur burokratiese prosedures met betrekking tot toegang tot grond, beperkings van donateurs op befondsing en ‟n wydverspreide staat van afhanklikheid in die teikengebiede. Dit is dus waarskynlik dat die uitbreiding van SL in Kaapstad stadig sal bly totdat sodanige beperkings aangespreek is.

This paper discusses urban agriculture in Dakar and Amsterdam and its contribution to urban sustainability. Therefore, it establishes an operational definition of urban sustainability, which is comprised of economic, social and environmental dimensions. It gives an insight in urban agriculture in both cities, and it analyzes its contribution to urban sustainability by examining the economic, social and environmental issues which are related to urban farming. Furthermore, it gives an insight in the differences of urban agriculture in the global South and the global North. Its findings suggest that although urban agriculture has potential for creating more sustainable cities, there are several constraints which need to be overcome. Keywords: Urban agriculture, urban sustainability, global South, global North, Dakar, Amsterdam

L’urbanisation est en forte croissance dans le monde, surtout en Afrique. Nourrir cette population urbaine nécessite de doubler la production agricole d’ici 2030. Une des solutions semble être l’agriculture urbaine. Le Gabon, comme d’autres pays d’Afrique, connait un essor de l’agriculture urbaine, en particulier à Libreville. Mais aucune étude concrète de l’impact dans le pays de l’agriculture en milieu urbain sur les propriétés bio-physico-chimiques, et le comportement des métaux dans les sols n’a encore été réalisée. Dans ce contexte, l’objectif de ce travail était d’étudier l’impact des cultures maraîchères urbaines sur les propriétés des sols, ainsi que la présence de certains métaux dans les sols et les plantes cultivées. Le maraîchage urbain est pratiqué sous abri ou en plein air et souffre encore de maux qui freinent son développement (niveau d’études des maraîchers, précarité du foncier, accès limité aux fertilisants, à l’eau d’irrigation…). Les sols de Libreville sont sablo-limoneux ou argilo-sablo-limoneux. La teneur des métaux est en général faible et les risques de contamination dans la chaîne alimentaire limités. Les sols cultivés depuis moins de 10 ans et les sols sous abri ne subissent pas un impact significatif vis-à-vis des sols non cultivés. En outre, les sols cultivés en plein air depuis au moins 10 ans sont acidifiés et leurs paramètres de fertilité et la teneur des métaux diminuent significativement. Le pH est bien corrélé à la spéciation chimique des métaux et il y a une bonne mobilité de Mn, Pb et Zn dans les sols. La teneur en métaux dans les légumes cultivés à Libreville était inférieure aux limites autorisées par la FAO. L’amarante et l’oseille accumulent bien les métaux, en particulier dans les feuilles qui sont consommées. La simulation du chaulage des sols cultivés en plein air depuis au moins 10 ans à l’aide du logiciel PHREEQC, montre qu’une stabilisation du pH à 6-7 améliorerait la fertilité des sols. Des expériences in situ et au laboratoire sont nécessaires pour confirmer ces résultats et tester d’autres apports minéraux et/ou organiques. / Urbanization is growing rapidly worldwide, especially in Africa. Feed this urban population requires to double agricultural production before 2030. One of solution seems to be urban agriculture. Gabon, like other African countries, is experiencing a boom of urban agriculture, particularly in Libreville. But no concrete study of the impact of urban agriculture on the bio-physico-chemical properties and behavior of metals in soils has yet been carried out in the country. In this context, the objective of this work was to study the impact of urban gardening on soil properties, and the presence of metals in soils and crops.The urban gardening is practiced under cover or in open air and some factors hinder its development (instruction level of gardeners, land insecurity, fertilizers, limited access to water ...). Soils in Libreville are sandy-loam or clay-sandy-loam. The content of metals is generally low and the risk of contamination in the food is limited. Soils cultivated for less than 10 years and soils cultivated under cover do not undergo a significant impact of agricultural practices. In contrast, soils cultivated in open air for at least 10 years are acidified, their fertility parameters and metal content decreasing significantly. The pH is correlated with the chemical speciation of metals and there is a good mobility of Mn, Pb and Zn in soils. Metal content in vegetables grown in Libreville was below the limits allowed by the FAO. Amaranth and sorrel accumulated many metals, especially in the leaves that are consumed parts. The simulation of the liming of agricultural soils cultivated in open air for at least 10 years with the PHREEQC software shows that stabilization to pH 6-7 would improve soils fertility. Some experiments in situ and in laboratory are needed to confirm these results and other mineral and/or organics inputs tests.

M. Tech. (Food Service Management, Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Faculty of Human Sciences) -- Vaal University of Technology| / INTRODUCTION: Urban agriculture (UA) is increasingly being seen as an important component of urban development and urban environmental management. Urban agriculture is an alternative source of employment, household income, food and nutrition security among many low-income urban dwellers. Investments in Urban agriculture in South Africa are negatively influenced by a paucity of information on available land and farming opportunities and lack of policy. A situation analysis in Eatonside concluded that high unemployment rates, income-poverty, chronic household food insecurity and a high prevalence of malnutrition existed. Efforts to increase food availability will bring overall benefits to the community. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this project was to conduct an empirical study to assess food insecurity training needs in order to develop an appropriate home gardening training programme for gardeners in the informal settlements. METHODS: A random selection of 143 households was made from the informal settlement (refer baseline), but only 91 dwellers successfully completed the questionnaires that were administered by four trained field workers. The resu Its were analysed using the SPSS® 12.0 program. MAJOR FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results showed that 72.5 percent had some knowledge of home gardening, whereas 29.7 percent had skills at all in home gardening; 69.2 percent responded that they had some knowledge of soil management, while 69.2 percent had no knowledge regarding planting management and only 13.2 percent had any knowledge regarding storage after harvesting and preparation of vegetables. Out of all the 91 participants, only 29.7 percent had ever worked in a garden. The researcher and fieldworkers were the first group to be trained so that they could conduct the training of the participants with the assistance of the farmers. Since the patiicipants were both male and female, no problems were encountered with digging the ground, as every day after training the males made a point of preparing the ground for the next day. Training was conducted over two days for each group; there were four groups including the fieldworkers. Groups 2 and 3 had 25 participants each while group 4 had 41 participants (n = 91). On day one, the trainers provided all the theory that the participants would need to work in a garden. On day two, the trainers incorporated theory with practical training which involved the participants. CONCLUSION It was found that most of the householders who participated in this project owned a vegetable garden. Most of the participants felt that they had benefited greatly from the training given in the gardening project, both because they were now able to have year round access to fresh vegetables, and because of the money-saving aspect / NRF -- CRC

O mundo passa por um acelerado processo de urbanização marcado por desequilíbrios sociais e ambientais. As cidades concentram parte relevante do impacto ambiental e consomem recursos e geram resíduos a uma taxa muito maior do que seu território pode absorver, fazendo com que as áreas urbanas sejam cada vez mais importantes na busca pela sustentabilidade. Nesse contexto, a agricultura urbana e periurbana (AUP) surge como uma alternativa para a urbanização sustentável, devido, principalmente, à sua contribuição para o aumento da segurança alimentar, redução de impacto ambiental, reutilização de resíduos orgânicos, revitalização de áreas, desalienação dos moradores e aumento do bem-estar físico e psicológico. Além da falta de dados, a análise da AUP é dificultada pela sua heterogeneidade, nos mais diversos ângulos de análise: interpretação de seus significados, local, forma de governança e técnicas. Esta dissertação propõe sua divisão em quatro tipologias: (i) fazendas urbanas; (ii) terrenos intraurbanos vazios sem interesse imobiliário; (iii) telhados com produção intensiva; e (iv) residencial e institucional. São Paulo é a maior cidade do Brasil, com 12 milhões de habitantes e, apesar de a AUP acontecer no município em diversas tipologias, são escassos os dados sobre a quantidade de alimentos produzidos atualmente e o crescimento dessa atividade na cidade. O objetivo desta dissertação é, por meio de revisão bibliográfica e de estudos de casos, identificar e analisar os fatores que interferem no crescimento da AUP na cidade de São Paulo. A AUP é aqui interpretada pela lente teórica da teoria das práticas, destacando-se as relações recursivas entre seus agentes e as estruturas, por meio dos recursos, normas e esquemas interpretativos. Conclui-se que são onze os principais fatores que interferem no crescimento da AUP na cidade de São Paulo: (i) acesso à terra; (ii) acesso a equipamentos manuais, insumos e máquinas; (iii) acesso a conhecimento técnico e mão de obra; (iv) capacidade de cumprir normas de viabilidade financeira e regras de mercado/empresariais; (v) capacidade de obtenção de certificação; (vi) presença em leis de ocupação da cidade; (vii) poder de mobilização social e audiência nas mídias sociais; (viii) capacidade de gerar atividade profissional com geração de renda; (ix) capacidade de gerar empreendedorismo social; (x) capacidade de desempenhar produção ecologicamente correta; e (xi) capacidade de engajar e promover o ativismo de ocupação do espaço público, senso de comunidade e desenvolvimento de relações não capitalistas. Nota-se que a importância de cada fator é diferente entre as tipologias, conforme demonstraram os estudos de caso. Destaca-se que para as três primeiras tipologias, apesar de seus benefícios ambientais e sociais, a AUP está inserida em normas de mercado tradicionais, e sua possibilidade de crescer e produzir alimentos em quantidade relevante depende do atingimento de viabilidade financeira. Para isso, a AUP se vale de seu discurso pautado pela sustentabilidade para obtenção de cessões de terras, doações de recursos, leis de incentivo e valores de venda acima de mercado. Para a última tipologia, seu crescimento está sujeito a uma mudança mais radical na lógica de consumo e na disseminação do ativismo e de relações não mercantis / The world goes through an accelerated process of urbanization marked by social and environmental imbalances. Cities concentrate a significant part of the environmental impact and consume resources and generate waste at a much higher rate than their land can absorb, making urban areas increasingly important in the pursuit of sustainability. In this context, urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) emerges as an alternative to sustainable urbanization, mainly due to its contribution to increasing food security, reducing environmental impact, reusing organic waste, revitalizing areas, de-alienating citizens and increasing physical and psychological well-being. In addition to the lack of data, analysis of UPA is hampered by its heterogeneity, at the most diverse angles of analysis: interpretation of its meanings, location, form of governance and techniques. This dissertation proposes its division into four typologies: (i) urban farms; (ii) empty intra-urban land with no interest of real estate development; (iii) intensive production rooftops; and (iv) residential and institutional. São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil with 12 million inhabitants, and although the UPA happens in the city in several types, data on the quantity of food currently produced and the growth of this activity in the city are scarce. The objective of this dissertation is, through bibliographical review and case studies, to identify and analyze the factors that interfere in the growth of AUP in the city of São Paulo. The UPA is here interpreted by the theoretical lens of the theory of practices, highlighting the recursive relations between its agents and the structures, through resources, norms and interpretative schemes. It is concluded that there are eleven main factors that interfere in the growth of UPA in the city of São Paulo: (i) access to land; (ii) access to equipment, supplies and machines; (iii) access to technical knowledge and labor; (iv) ability to comply with financial viability standards and market / business rules; (v) ability to obtain certification; (vi) presence in occupancy laws of the city; (vii) power of social mobilization and audience in social media; (viii) ability to generate professional activity with income generation; (ix) ability to generate social entrepreneurship; (x) ability to perform ecologically correct production; and (xi) ability to engage and promote the activism of public space occupation, sense of community and development of non-capitalist relations. It is noted that the importance of each factor is different between the typologies, as the case studies showed. It should be noted that for the first three typologies, despite its environmental and social benefits, the UPA is embedded in traditional market norms, and its ability to grow and produce food in a relevant quantity depends on the attainment of financial viability. For this, the UPA relies on its sustainability-based discourse to obtain land assignments, resource donations, incentive laws and above-market sales values. For the latter typology, its growth is subject to a more radical change in the logic of consumption and the spread of activism and non-market relations

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Public and Development Management ). / This report covers the development of agricultural production in Maputo city, After reviewing the llterature on urban agriculture, it examines the polltlcal and legal framework for the practice of agriculture production in the Mozambican capital, The development of institutions designed to support small-scale producers is then investigated. ( Abbreviation abstract ) / AC2017