Street Food: Urbanization and Agriculture in Africa

Africa is a land of paradox. It is home to the world’s largest uncultivated arable land. Yet, food insecurity remains a pervasive in urban centers. With increasing rural-urban migration, hunger and obesity will continue to pose considerable threats to urban residents. It is in that respect that the paper rehabilitates the notion of urban agriculture (UA) as a buffer against uncertainties in food access, both in terms of quality and quantity. Despite the numerous potentials of this practice, few urban residents in Africa engage in producing their own food. While a plethora of contemporary literature has explored the challenges undercutting UA, there are still unanswered questions. Lingering questions concern what the underlying cause of limited participation in participation in the practice is. The paper discovered that a substantial percentage of African cities lack a comprehensive urban policy. To that end, there is no comprehensive guideline in the allocation of land and logistical support for potential farmers. The paper argues that, since UA has the potential to enhance the resilience of urban residents to climate change and ultimately, food insecurity, it is imperative for states to frame urban policies that recognize UA as an essential component of urban development.