Urban farming

STAWI HOPE OF AFRICA is currently executing a project called “URBAN/BACKYARD FARMING” with aim of supporting food security, empowering nutrition to reduce the impact of malnutrition among children for the vulnerable poor. nutrition among Families in Kasanje communities.

Under this very project, Stawi Hope of Africa also focuses on;

Home and group training skills on urban/backyard farming sensitize about benefits of urban/backyard farming.
 Awareness about the benefits of a balanced diet (vegetable and fruit) inclusion to ones meal.

Risks and risk management of urban/backyard farming.
  • Harsh weather conditions
  • Monitoring of the project
  • Evaluation of the projects

Objectives of urban farming
  • To help Community members grow their own vegetables in support of good nutrition and promoting a balanced diet for family members especially children and economic empowerment.
  • To help in plastic recycling
  • To help families get an income generating activity
  • To empower the young with agricultural skills and reduce redundancy which leads to high crime rates, bad peer influence.
  • Promote active leisure among family members.


In an endeavor to address the above objectives, Stawi Hope of Africa believes in full inclusion(engagement and participation) of beneficiaries i.e., parents, children, and other household relatives in different families within Kasanje communities for better results and accountability.


ABOUT URBAN/BACKYARD AGRICULTURE

– Urban/backyard agriculture is the practice of growing food crops and raising livestock within the urban areas and is commonly known as backyard farming.
– Urban farming can provide food, nutrition, income and employment for city and town dwellers. It can also help reduce poverty and food security.
– Urban farming is the practice of cultivating crops, livestock, or types of food in an urban environment which include vegetables like Cabbages, Nakati,Otigo, Carrots, Onions, Paper(red, green, yellow and chilies), among others.


Key features involved in urban farming
  • Participatory learning approach
  • Farmers actively engage in the learning process through group discussions, hands on activities and field observations
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Farmers learn from fellow farmers’ experience and observations, fostering essence of community and collaboration among participants.
Advantages of urban farming

Food security, Urban farming can help address food security
Environmental sustainability, urban farming can help improve on air quality and regulate the urban climate
Space optimization, urban farming can help optimize local space
Guaranteed healthy vegetables, indoor farms can grow healthy vegetables in trays enriched with nutrients


Empowerment

Employment, urban farming can contribute to employment and income generation
Business opportunities, Urban agriculture can attract capital investment and lead to business opportunities such as market gardens and urban farms
Community development, it can help support neighborhood beautification.
Improved health, it can provide access to healthy and fresh food. It can also increase physical activity and improve health through garden therapy.
Cultural values, it can also help refugees and immigrants maintain and appreciate their cultural heritage
Property values, it leads to increased property values.
Crime reduction, it helps reduce crime rates in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Education, it can provide education about climate change, food security, biodiversity and nutrition.


Challenges faced in urban farming

Resources in terms of monetary funds. As an organization we do not have enough funds to be as sufficient to the existing need to the communities of Kasanje.
Pollution risks, urban farming may face pollution risks e.g fumes and toxins, plastics and metal in soil.
Many people are not sensitized enough about how to safely practice urban/backyard farming
Water shortage and expenses: this is a challenge because most of the communities we operate in have shortage of water, its expensive to dig for underground water/ borehole and those who have national water sell it expensively in that for someone who does not have money to buy food can not buy water for irrigation.