Climate Change challenges on

Urban Agriculture in Africa

Joachim Ibeziako Ezeji

Chief Executive Officer RAWDP

www.rawdp.org
Introduction:
Around the world, hundreds of millions of men, women and children
live in extreme poverty. An understanding of how the poor respond to
economic crises has become increasingly important.

A great many of these poor men and women in urban, rural and peri-
urban settings base their livelihoods on ‘informal activities’-----small-
scale cropping, livestock rearing, agro-processing and other micro-
enterprises.

Poverty, caused by circumstances such as unemployment and

dwindling household incomes have necessitated the rise of these
various small-scale entrepreneurial activities in urban centers around
the world, especially the third world.
 The Informal sector in Africa
Example: Nigeria
• Most populous country in Africa
• Population (est.) = 140million
• Urban population (est.) = 39% (1985);
43.5% (2009); 50% (2010) and 65%
(2020)
• 57.9% of urban labor force is informal
• The informal sector employs two-
third of all workers in Nigeria
• Informal economy generates one-
third of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) and 90% on new job creations
• (Source> Federal office of statistics,
(2004); UNDP, (2006)
 Understanding urban agriculture!
• An emerging global phenomenon
• Activity size ranges between 15%
in Hanoi and 68% in Dares salaam
• Mostly an informal activity in
parts of Africa
• Land sizes varies between 0.1 to
2hactares
• Inputs includes land, water, seeds
and fertilizer
• Employs both men and women
• Common crops cultivated are
vegetables and fruits (some meat
e.g. chicken)
• Harvests consumed locally or sold
in nearby markets
• Saves family income
• Reduces family expenditure
• Improved nourishment to family
menu
Water is central
 Water, Water, Water!
• There has been the age-long need to balance the competition for water
between different uses and users.
• Policy documents on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM),
whether from governments or donor organizations, give first priority to water
supply for agricultural production purposes in water allocation decisions (
WWDR2, (2006.232).
• For example, the agricultural sector of the South-Asian region receives about
96 percent of the total allocation.
• Even in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a much less developed irrigation
infrastructure than Asia, 84 percent of total water allocation is used in
agriculture.
• The difference between credible high and low estimates of the water globally
required for agriculture in 2025 is in the order of 600 cubic kilometers(km3)-
WWDR2 (2006; 233).
 Water, Water, Water (2)!
• In South Africa; productive uses of water utilizes water
services on a full cost recovery basis.
• Unlike water for basic needs which is free (up to 6000
liters per household per month).
• This is tailored towards demand-responsive
approaches, cost recovery and sustainability.
• Using water from domestic systems for productive
uses is not always wholly beneficial as unplanned and
unrestricted productive use of domestic water causes
problems for users at the tail end of under-designed
domestic systems.
 Water, Water, Water (3)!
• That Climate Change poses a threat to water sources
is already apparent through threats from increasing
incidents of storms, flooding, drought, and the
overloading water and drainage systems in many
regions (IWA, 2009; IPCC, 2007).
• With an expanding global population, comes the fear
that consumption of water will reach new heights and
that quality deterioration as a result of pollution of
drinking water by agriculture, industry and private
households will expand.
 Case study (1): Cameroun
• Study carried out in 3 urban and • Wastewater draining from
peri-urban sites in Yaounde
• City population =1.5million
all sources finally flows
• 34% of population has access to into inland valleys, where
domestic water connection and wastewater agriculture
47% use communal water points
takes place
• No municipal sewer system exists
• Household water from affluent • Common crops cultivated
HHs discharged via septic tanks are indigenous leafy
and sinkholes
variety as well as salad,
• Others discharged via open
drainage networks leeks and lady finger (+
Horticulture)
 Case study (1): Cameroun (cntd)
• Hand watering of
vegetables was a typical
practice
• Farmers carry two 10 -15
liters watering cans on
either hands
• 40% farmers attribute use
of wastewater on its
abundance and proximity to • Health risks observed with farmers
farm • -Malaria (59%)
• -Skin irritation (23%)
• Others use it because it is
• -Skin ulcers (18%)
free (15%) and nutrient rich • -Bilharzias (10%)
(20%) • -Typhoid fewer (8%)
 Case study (2): South Africa
• Study carried out in Bushbuck
Ridge district on the border of
Mpumalanga and Northern
Limpopo provinces
• Access to safe water of sufficient
quantity a major problem in the
area
• Mostly because of water source
constraint
• Mostly vegetable gardens, fruit
trees and livestock
• Limited water quantity constrains
harvest
Case study (3): Zimbabwe
• Study carried out in Bikita district
• Annual rainfall ranges 400mm to 700mm
• Productive water points gardens
communally promoted to diversify
livelihood strategies
• Value of production vary between
US$2,500 and US$8000 per hectare
• Annual gross income for farmers varies
between US$18 and US$80 per annum
per family
• Water point gardens have good pump
and water wells for irrigation
• Cost of pump or well investment is
US$502
• Many individuals cannot afford this amount
 Case studies (continued)
(4) Accra, Ghana
• Urban water supplies in Accra,
Ghana by Ghana Water Company
Limited (GWCL)
• For every 100litres of water
pumped into pipe network, only
50 could be traced back to the
meter
• Water lost to leakages but also
illegal connections and meter
tampering
• Bills not well paid
• Mere 40% of people in Accra
have access to improved supplies
(5) Owerri, Nigeria
• Population =1 million
• Crops cultivated mostly
vegetables, fruits and
livestock
• 75% were women farmers
• 60% of harvests sold in
market
• Mostly on rented and
untitled plots
• Water supplies tapped from
utility networks
Opportunities
The setting allows easy access to
ready market
Creates employment for those
involved
Guarantees food security (Note:
the poor spends 70% of their
income on food)
Waste management e.g. Solid Waste
(+human waste) to Compost; and use of
waste water; all enriching soils. 1.5 liters
of undiluted urine can fertilize 1 square
meter of soil in background garden.
1.5litres is the amount produced by one
adult in one day.
 Challenges
Water Supply Needs
Feeding growing urban population • Water demand management
issues and attendant tariffs
• 39.7% (2008); 50% (2025); 80% • Options of developing alternative
(2050) of Africa Urban water sources e.g. Rainwater
• In West Africa, average food harvests and Waste water
treatment
supply (2,430cal/day/person) is
• Prioritizing crops by matching
below the optimum level of
high value crops and liter of water
(2,700 cal/day/person) per kilo of crop
• Annual investment of • Cost of developing/investing in
US$4.7billion required to irrigation facilities
achieve food security in Africa • Pollution of water source by
chemical fertilizers
 Challenges (2)
Climate change issues
• Dependence on rain fed agriculture
• Vulnerability to and impacts of storm, Land use issues
flood and drought
• Access to land and land
• Water quality deterioration or
persistence of pollutants tenure
Combines with population growth to
•
exacerbate water demand
• Degradation of soil by
• Over abstraction of groundwater and poor soil or land
saltwater intrusion in coastal and delta
regions
management practices
• Over abstraction of surface water e.g. erosion
induces low flows which causes
decreased contamination dilution • Effects of pesticides on
capacity and thus higher pollutant land fertility
concentration, including pathogens
 Challenges (3)
Diseases and ill-health
• Crop could be contaminated
by wastewater if not well
applied
• Nevertheless use of
wastewater in arid and
semi-arid areas will rise
• 25% of vegetables grown in
Pakistan were irrigated with
untreated urban
wastewater. And were
cheaper than vegetables
imported from other parts
of Pakistan (Ensink et al
2004)
• 60% of vegetables grown in Dakar
Senegal are grown with a mixture
of Ground Water and untreated
wastewater (Faruqui et al. 2004)
• Infection with intestinal
helminthes poses the major
health risk associated with
wastewater use
• WHO (2006a-d) has developed an
updated Guideline for the safe
use of waste water, excreta and
grey-water
• Most of these borders on crop
restriction, application
techniques, and irrigation timing
 Challenges (4)
For example:
• In Owerri, most urban farmers live or operate on rented
plots; this together with huge capital costs hinders the option
of any sustainable rainfall harvesting. This is in the face of the
reality that the city records an average of 2000mm of rainfall
per annum.
• Earlier findings show that rainwater costs about five times as
much as metered water supplies in Sri Lanka, and that it takes
20-25 years to recover the capital cost of such investment in
Namibia (Skinner, undated).
• The apparent inertia and apathy in utilizing rainwater as an
option in Owerri by these groups could therefore be
appreciated from this standpoint.
 Other Challenges
• Tension between water
users and urban
farmers
• Tension between water
utilities and urban
farmers
• Tension between
Nomads (cattle
owners) and urban
farmers
 Abridging the challenges
• Better access to credit and
finance
• Land titles
• Enterprise development
support
• Friendly urban or municipal
policies
• Capacity building
• Waste reuse best practices
• Rain water harvests
• Land use management
• Creation of Graze lands or
corridors
 Conclusion
• More research required
-volume of activity, socio-
economic benefits, waste
reuse, irrigation
• Climate change is indeed
challenge because of its link
to water which is all ready a
competitive product for
urbanization and growing
population.
• Thank you!