Abstract
AbstractUrban agriculture remains a topical issue that needs to be better understood in striving for sustainable cities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Through a literature review, this article examines urban agriculture studies in South Africa to identify trends, opportunities, and gaps in the literature. The article examines the discourses that have emerged based on a narrative literature review of 62 peer-reviewed articles from 1993 to 2022. The findings indicate that several gaps in the knowledge limit our understanding of the practice of urban agriculture toward sustainable cities, for instance, an under-representation of secondary cities and the general productivist focus of most studies in the country. The author argues that future research needs to focus on underrepresented cities using rich methodologies to gain further insights into urban agriculture and its place in the city. Moreover, other under-represented themes including environmental benefits such as green infrastructure and nature-based solutions need more exploration. A more holistic understanding of urban agriculture is required in order to buttress interventions that accommodate the practice within the urban environment.
Funder
University of the Western Cape
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Urban Studies,Geography, Planning and Development
Reference86 articles.
1. Azunre, G. A., Amponsah, O., Peprah, C., Takyi, S. A., & Braimah, I. (2019). A review of the role of urban agriculture in the sustainable city discourse. Cities, 93, 104–119.
2. Battersby, J., & Marshak, M. (2013). Growing communities: integrating the social and economic benefits of urban agriculture in Cape Town. Urban Forum, 24(4), 447–461.
3. Battersby, J., & Peyton, S. (2014). The geography of supermarkets in Cape Town: supermarket expansion and food access. Urban Forum, 25(2), 153–164.
4. Beall, J., & Todes, A. (2004). Gender and integrated area development projects: Lessons from Cato Manor, Durban. Cities, 21(4), 301–310.
5. Belete, A., Mariga, I. K., & Goqwana, W. (2005). Rural, urban and peri-urban agricultural potential in Buffalo City Municipality: possibilities for the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Africa Insight, 35(3), 25–30.