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Urban agriculture : food for thought

Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An ever changing urban environment, limited economic opportunities and rising poverty, have brought
into sharp relief the need for strategies that support the livelihoods of the poor. Urban areas are
complex and dynamic systems. No town or city is immune from either external forces (globalisation)
that dictate the need to adapt, or to internal pressures (the natural growth pattern of an urban
population and rural-urban migration) that collectively can precipitate growth or decline.
The formal sector cannot, in most instances, fulfil the need for secure, regular employment in the
urban areas, which leads to increases in unemployment, gradual breakdown of basic services - visual
evidence includes large squatter settlements in and around urban centres - and the not unlikely
increase in food insecurity. There is no doubt that the future of urban centres is dependent on the
effective absorption of the increasing number of urban dwellers into its environmental, economical and
social structures, and public policy plays an important role in the success of this process.
The important contribution of urban agriculture in bolstering food security of urban households raises
critical planning issues. The spatial integration of our settlements is critical; it holds the potential to
enhance economic efficiency and social development. Spatial strategies should be combined with
economic and environmental programmes to form an integrated approach towards development.
Urban agriculture could possibly catalyse broader developmental processes such as local economic
development, whereby disadvantaged communities could potentially secure the benefits of
employment and increase food security. The provision of opportunities for urban agriculture not only
makes it possible to meet the food needs of the urban poor, but to also ensure sustainable human
settlements. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die lig van 'n dinamiese stedelike omgewing, beperkte ekonomiese geleenthede en toenemende
armoede, beklemtoon die nood aan strategieë wat die arm stedelike gemeenskap bevoordeel.
Stedelike gebiede is ingewikkelde en dinamiese sisteme. Geen dorp of stad is vrygeskeld van
eksterne invloede (globalisasie), óf van interne invloede (die natuurlike groeipatroon in 'n stedelike
gebied en migrasie van platteland na stede) wat kollektief groei of verval van stede kan aanhits.
Die formele sektor kan in die meeste gevalle nie aan die behoefte van vaste werksaanstelling in
stedelike gebiede voldoen nie. Dit lei tot 'n toename in werkloosheid en die geleidelike afbreek in
fundamentele basiese dienste - ooglopende bewys hiervan sluit die groot plakkerskampe in en om
stedelike sentrums - en die nie onwaarskynlike toename in voedseltekorte. Daar is geen twyfel dat
die toekoms van stedelike sentrums afhanklik is van die absorpsie van toenemende stedelinge in hul
omgewings-, ekonomiese- en sosiale strukture, en openbare beleid speel 'n kardinale rol in die
suksesvolle verloop van hierdie proses.
Die belang van die bydrae van stedelike landbou tot die rugsteuning van versekering van voedselsekuriteit
in stedelike huishoudings kompliseer beplanning geweldig. Die ruimtelike integtrasie van ons
nedersettings is belangrik; dit het die potensiaal om ekonomiese vaardigheid en sosiale ontwikkeling
te verbeter. Strategieë om ruimte te optimaliseer behoort gekombineer te word met ekonomiese- en
omgewingsprogramme, om sodoende geïntigreerde benaderings tot ontwikkeling te vorm. Stedelike
landbou kan moontlik n katalisator vir verreikende ontwikkelingsprosesse soos plaaslike ekonomiese
ontwikkeling wees, waar minder-bevoorregte gemeenskappe werksversekering en -geleenthede het
en daar ook voedsel-sekuriteit is. Die voorsiening van geleenthede vir stedelike landbou maak dit nie
net moontlik om die behoefte aan voedsel van minder-bevoorregte stedelinge te bevredig nie, maar
verseker ook langdurige, volhoubare stedelike nedersettings.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53706
Date12 1900
CreatorsVan der Merwe, Louise
ContributorsKhan, F., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Managment Sciences. Dept. of Sustainable Development Planning & Management.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format73 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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