Urban farming is an integral part of the lifestyle of most urban residents in Zimbabwe, providing healthy home-grown food and extra income. Maize and sweet potatoes are the most popular crops planted and as the rainy season approaches, residents begin to see frenetic cultivation of most areas of undeveloped land around Harare.
This coming season however, far fewer people will be able to prepare land for crops due to the explosion in property construction that has engulfed the present day Harare map, particularly on the city outskirts. This will significantly impact the livelihoods of those who have depended on urban agriculture to make ends meet.
Christine Gadzikwa, a domestic worker in Borrowdale West, told Harare News that she will not be able to plant this season since her usual piece of land located near Groombridge shopping centre, has been developed by its owner. Gadzikwa said she will continue to look for another undeveloped piece of land to farm as her former 100 square metre field allowed her to supplement both diet and income through selling fresh and boiled mealie cobs to other residents in the area.
Housing developments are not the only threat. Historically, the Harare municipality has been at loggerheads with urban farmers slashing crops planted in illegal spaces, especially on roadsides and along foot paths, in order to prevent muggings which are common in cropped areas during the planting season. “I am not sure if I will plant this season because last year my maize was slashed by council workers,” said Roddy Magaya from Budiriro.
Environmentalists have also added their concerns over poor tillage methods by the urban farmers which include planting in wetlands, stream bank cultivation and the use of polluting chemicals which threaten human and environmental health. There have been calls for urban farmers to adopt crop rotation and organic practices in order to minimise damage to the soil and water supply.
In spite of this, urban farmers have remained defiant. According to an AGRITEX report in 2009, 10% of land in Harare was used for urban farming.
The urban authorities have voiced support for the practice as long as it is conducted in an orderly way with permission being sought from the correct authorities. The late Harare Metropolitan Resident Minister Cde David Karimanzira stated in an interview in 2010, that urban farming boosted food security, noting that district administrators had been tasked to ensure that all the urban farmers had access to land and inputs. In Bulawayo, great strides have been made with the city council incorporating a policy supporting UA into its master plan. The Municipal Development Partnership has facilitated dialogue between a range of urban agriculture stakeholders including farmers, city planners, the municipal authorities and NGOs and helped to develop National Guidelines for Urban Agriculture with support from FAO in 2010.
However, it remains to be seen whether urban farming will stand the test of time as developers, council and environmentalists take a tougher stance against the practice.
Picture: Urban farmer Mrs Mhete in her fields, Mabvuku. She grows many different crops for her own use and for sale, from which she makes a regular income. (Anna Brazier)
Loading ...
Waan idin salaamay dhamaan ka dib war dadkaan hadalka aay soo qoreen ma ahan mid sax ah marka hore waxa aad is weeydiisaan meeqa soomaali ah ayaan ku nool gabi ahaan wadankan sweden ka dib meeqa ayaa reerahooda u dacwootay soomaalida ku nool wadankan waxa aay gaaranaan ilaa 30100(kow iyo sodon kun) marka dadka runta haloo sheego ee dadkaas malaga yaawo 10 ka sano ee soo socota in aay sweden yimaadaan.U codee: 0 0
Have you ever considered creating an e-book or guest authoring on other websites? I have a blog centered on the same ideas you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my readers would enjoy your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an email.
It’s great to find someone so on the ball
"Right wing" Eivind Berge (34) is an anti-feminist blogger who protests to being taken into custody on Wednesday of this weekNote: In photo, African in Norwegian police uniform
The truth just shines through your post
Oui boctambul tous les commentaires qui critique vraiment SFR Club son CENSURE! Moi j’en est u 4 de censuré J’ai comme l’impression qu’on a droit a une mis a jours phantome enfaite
The 70′s were my favorite decade of music….Women were finally in the mix and regarded as equals…..well they were in the mix..they’re still fighting for equal status..but long live the music of Carly Simon, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Janis Ian, Laura Nyro!
The majority of important factor at these loans is ordinarilythe requirement regarding collateral. The idea is which usually people can transport out a marginal loan and are charged it back whentheir pay check arrives. Regarding course these manufactures do not really wishthis.
At last, someone who comes to the heart of it all
Voi kun tuollaista edes joskus tapahtuisi Suomessa. Sen sijaan täällä saa kiskoa perässään kiljuvaa kura-asuista lapsosta karkkihyllyn ohi. No onneksi ei ihan aina… 🙂 Tuota asiakaspalvelua on todella ikävä tuolta Amerikan maasta. Ja kuppi Starbucksin kahvia maistuisi kanssa. On mukava lueskella teidän elostanne siellä. Kyllä välillä vähän kaipaa sinne… 🙂 S
De passage à Paris, Clémentine Desseaux se confie à Ma-Grande … On guette à travers les fenêtres et là , de l'autre côté de la rue, on aperçoit une jeune femme en robe rouge, perfecto noir assorti aux chaussures, regarder en l'air le numéro des immeubles. Clémentine fait son entrée et salue … comme à New-York … Lir la suite: ma-grande-taille
Hi, my graffiti name is cassettelord-i spray paint large cassettes all over Brighton in the U.K and produce cassette-based stencil art, you can see some if you pop cassettelord into google images!
Hi Google team,There is a problem with the Export tool you provide for Europeans likes me.The CSV format doesn’t match the expected format for Excel French Edition. The default separator is “;” in FR instead of “,” presently.Is it possible to get an option for export settings ?Thanks in advance !
Namenlos bin ich fürwahr, und im Herzen wunderbar.Geld ist unsre Fessel und dies hier der Würmel, den ich dressel.Räuberherz! Räuberheeeeeerz! Alles Geld ist geliehen! Aller Schmerz sei dir angediehen! Alle Welt soll es sehen! Ewig' Nacht soll entstehen!
A little rationality lifts the quality of the debate here. Thanks for contributing!
Hallo Maedels!Eure Fotos werden immer besser,eure Berichte auch ich glaube ihr habt in euren Herzen gespürt das Leben ist mehr als das eigen Ego.Bin froh das es euch gibt.Justin the Black Dog ))
Hi, Girls,If you’re planning to take up jogging, consult your G.P. first. You see, I thought I was healthy when I started running but it turned out my knee joints are weak. There was inflammation from too much pounding on the pavement. Now I am going to a physical therapy (Dallas, Texas) twice a week. Take Care!
I’ve thought for a long time that you’re too big on your stats, Ebren.Did Bolton win the league this season?Your team would qualify fine. They would then be humbled in the first game that really mattered.
Saad 8 in 10 (after first 3 games when hurt)Clendening that’s point per game for a defenseman (ahl rook)Jayes & Shaw still steadySmith coming onMcneil consistentTeuvo is going to be good, 12 in 10 (after first 7 games)Danault is a playerLooks Good for Future.
dadash yek soal dashtam pooshe dlc tooye pooshe zone has ?age has man nadaramesh vali bazim ba tekno ejra mishe va moshkeli nadareplz answer
mas… isi CD nya lap keuangan tahunan aja atao lengkap dengan lap keuangan triwulanan 1, 2 dan 3 serta lap keuangan tahunannya. Kl ada yang lengkap isinya ak mau pesen… thanks
By increasing income you mean, increasing taxes. Like ‘relative surplus’ these circumlocutions are getting tiresome.Actually Johann’s point was that we either had to increase taxes or prioritise the poorest by removing universal benefits from those who can afford to pay – not facing up to her question won’t make it go away. If independent we would also have the option to increase the deficit. If part of the UK we would have the option to vote for parties who would increase the deficit or increase taxes.I am quite happy to increase taxes and nationalise North Sea Oil, but I think I am in a minority.