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Despite widespread efforts, global poverty and a world food crisis remain a global problem. In urban areas, these features increase in complexity, due to their interaction with other social issues. Many studies explore the concept of urban agriculture (UA) as a practice with the potential to help alleviate poverty and address food insecurity in urban areas. This essay explores the relationship between urban agriculture, poverty and food security. In order to achieve this, qualitative descriptive research was combined with a literature review (discussed with thematic content analysis), interviews and grounded theory . The analysis demonstrates that while widely mentioned in relation to poverty alleviation, UA cannot address all conditions of poverty nor by itself ensure urban food security. Instead, the literature provides a number of case examples where UA has been implemented to support these purposes, mostly within Africa, however there remains a lack of comparative studies for a deeper understanding of the influence of UA on urban poverty and food security. Thus, current knowledge and data on the real contribution, use and management of UA vis-à-vis poverty alleviation and food security, presents a challenge for the application of UA towards these ends. In conclusion, this review finds that although UA certainly has a role to play in reducing poverty and addressing food insecurity, its contribution should not be overstated as a stand-alone solution to these complex issues. All in all, UA is still a useful tool, which against the risks of today's world, is real and highly necessary one.
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Title Urban Agriculture, Poverty Alleviation and Food Security: A Complex Relationship
Despite widespread efforts, global poverty and a world food crisis remain a global problem. In urban areas, these features increase in complexity, due to their interaction with other social issues. Many studies explore the concept of urban agriculture (UA) as a practice with the potential to help alleviate poverty and address food insecurity in urban areas. This essay explores the relationship between urban agriculture, poverty and food security. In order to achieve this, qualitative descriptive research was combined with a literature review (discussed with thematic content analysis), interviews and grounded theory . The analysis demonstrates that while widely mentioned in relation to poverty alleviation, UA cannot address all conditions of poverty nor by itself ensure urban food security. Instead, the literature provides a number of case examples where UA has been implemented to support these purposes, mostly within Africa, however there remains a lack of comparative studies for a deeper understanding of the influence of UA on urban poverty and food security. Thus, current knowledge and data on the real contribution, use and management of UA vis-à-vis poverty alleviation and food security, presents a challenge for the application of UA towards these ends. In conclusion, this review finds that although UA certainly has a role to play in reducing poverty and addressing food insecurity, its contribution should not be overstated as a stand-alone solution to these complex issues. All in all, UA is still a useful tool, which against the risks of today's world, is real and highly necessary one.
Work type Article
Tags food crisis, urban agriculture, poverty alleviation, food insecurity
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Identifier 1511055717922
Entry date Nov 5, 2015, 2:24 PM UTC
License All rights reserved
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Author. Holder Rodrigo Mena. Date Nov 5, 2015.
Information available at https://www.safecreative.org/work/1511055717922-urban-agriculture-poverty-alleviation-and-food-security-a-complex-relationship
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