Constraints to urban agriculture in southeast Nigeria

Abstract Urban agriculture (UA) is promoted as a viable strategy to support the food demands of the increasing urban population in the global south. However, UA faces severe constraints that could undermine this potential. To sustain urban food production, there is a research need to identify the main factors deterring UA activities. This study, therefore, aims to examine the constraints faced by urban farmers in carrying out their UA production activities. Two hundred and eighty urban farmers selected through a multi-stage sampling technique were used for the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire/interview schedule and analysed using descriptive statistics and principal component analysis (PCA). The study shows that the urban farmers were engaged in four main types of agro-enterprises. They include crop production, livestock production, agro-processing, and the supply of farming inputs. The majority of the UA farmers indicated that they were into maize production (75%), poultry production (60%), and 25% were into fish farming. The PCA result suggests three key constraints to UA, namely infrastructural constraints, socio-economic/environmental constraints, and institutional constraints. For UA in southeast Nigeria to reach its full potential, the study recommends proactive policy responses in support of UA. Also required is infrastructural support in terms of good road networks and marketing facilities to best support UA activities.