The Contribution of Women to Food Security and Livelihoods through Urban Agriculture in the City of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This research explores the contribution, which is made by women to food security and livelihoods of families in the city of Bulawayo through urban agriculture. Women constitute the marginalised group in human society and their contribution to the society and wellbeing is slowly being realised as evidenced by campaigns to put them in positions of power. Rapid urbanization in Zimbabwe coupled with the economic crisis, which rocked the country between 2000 and 2012 had resulted in unemployment, which in turn created poverty and food shortages. In this research, primary data was collected through observations and interviews from people who practice urban agriculture in the city of Bulawayo. Interviews of key informants were carried out with the Bulawayo City Council staff members, government officials and other stakeholders who are concerned with the practice of urban agriculture in the city. Random and purposive sampling procedures were chosen to select residents who practice urban farming and stakeholders for interviews. Secondary data sources were used to review literature on the practice of agriculture in African cities of Accra in Uganda and Nairobi in Kenya. Responses were coded and analysed quantitatively, using statistical package SPSS. The research showed that women practice urban agriculture more than their male counterparts as they play a crucial role of ensuring food security at the household level. The research also found out that it is the women who make decisions on the types of crops to be grown, time of
harvesting the crops and the market to which they can sell their surplus produce. In efforts to contribute to the food security, women usually face challenges of land ownership, money to finance their agricultural pursuits and to secure markets to sell their produce. These challenges tend to negatively affect their agricultural activities. It is recommended in this paper that if women are supported by providing them with land and money, they can actually positively contribute to the livelihoods of urban families through practicing urban farming. However, while this research has focused on the contribution of women to the livelihoods of families through urban farming, further research can look into the capitalisation of sewage to promote urban agriculture in the city of Bulawayo.