URBAN AGRICULTURE-URBAN ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIP; EXISTING CONSTRAINTS
By Grace Ndinda
In some aspects, urban and rural agriculture are alike. They both use the same instruments, indicators and partnership approaches. However, the difference comes in their environments and scales as the actors involved are different. For this reason, urban agriculture requires its own conceptual framework, which goes beyond the typologies. Unlike rural producers, not all urban producers are devoted exclusively to agriculture, many have add on jobs; this means the level of training and monitoring they require should have specific features tailored to deal with the urban environment. A plot with a variety of crops might have a more sustainable organic management system than an urban garden has, not using agrochemicals does not necessarily mean that the production is organic and conducting organic activities does not mean that they are
sustainable. For example, in the urban agricultural sector as currently in Havana, management and training concerning diseases and pests, soils and the value of the urban soil among other subjects are addressed and discussed generally in the same way as those of rural agriculture.
The current urban design does not favor cohesiveness between urban agriculture productive spaces and already constructed spaces. A design that takes in the relation of other components to the urban environment is imperative. In order to produce benefits on different scales e.g. neighborhoods, zones, municipality, city. The interests of urban farmers and those not directly associated with the production should be taken into consideration in a participatory manner. Research done has been insufficient, concerning the impact that the establishment and management of any of the different types of urban agriculture may have on a particular place within the city. In the case of Nairobi County, there is little information concerning the amount of toxic elements, their accumulation and their presence in for example leafy green vegetables cultivated along
riverbanks like the Nairobi River. It is clear that obtaining and storing water for urban agriculture and reusing water on different scales is not being given the attention required. Urban agriculture needs to enhanced, in terms of higher yields, trade mechanisms and management systems, and in terms of increasing the quality and efficiency of those mechanisms. A broader approach to the evaluation of cost-benefit of production in each of its different modes is needed.
On the other hand, if those who are involved in urban agriculture-technicians,decision makers, officials and all those who in some way participate in this complex environment are not taking into account the environment dimension of this activity or its relationship with other related components in the city, it will be impossible to ensure its real economic,social and environmental long-term sustainability by other means. Those involved directly with urban agriculture require more comprehensive training based on the city’s needs in general and not particularly from the agricultural point of view. The
environment as a subject should be the supporting component of this type of farming.