Production Systems and Occurrence Level of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Information on production systems and occurrence level of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPUA) in Nairobi County is not adequately documented. This study was aimed at determining the type and distribution of UPUA production systems and occurrence level of farming activities along four major network links in Nairobi County. A descriptive research design was used in this study and it involved a field survey. The target population for were the active urban and peri-urban farmers Nairobi County. In phase one (objective 1) of the study, snowballing and purposive sampling methods were used to identify active farmers, guided by the county agricultural officers and the sub county extension officers from ministry of Agriculture, Nairobi County. In phase two (objective 2), purposive sampling was applied in selecting four (4) major network links of Nairobi County with active UPUA farmers. Multistage (branching links) and systematic sampling were used to select data points. Along each network link sampling points were set systematically at 100m intervals for a length of one (1) km. Any farmer doing farming activity at the point or within a radius of 30m and available to give information was interviewed. Where a farmer was absent but there was a farm, observations were made and recorded on the questionnaire. Information gathered during the field survey included the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, land tenure, type of agricultural enterprises practiced, crop production technologies in use, produce consumption patterns, source of water for farming, waste management and farming challenges. Each respondent’s farm was mapped with a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) receiver. Ninety five (95) farms for the active farmers in Nairobi County were mapped in phase one. In phase two, 154 farmers were interviewed and 240 observations made on farms that had no farmer present at the data point at time of data collection. Maps of the sampled sites and localities were processed further using ArcGIS software. The data was subjected to descriptive analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 20). General inferences were presented using percentages and proportions. Further tests (Fishers t-tests) were done to determine whether differences were statistically significant between urban and peri-urban areas. All data were analysed at 5% level of significance. Results were presented using tables, pie charts, bar graphs, photographs and maps. The findings showed a significant difference in size of land / space utilized under different crop production technologies. Crop production technologies of open field, multi-storey, micro garden and moist-bed were significantly (P=.014) more on land/space which was less than a quarter of an acre (29.2%). Open field technology was the most utilized crop production technology (26.6%) and was significantly (P=0.033) more in use at the peri-urban areas. Multi-storey garden was the second popular technology (18%) and more in use in the urban areas. Institutional land constituted the most significant (P=0.012) available land (54.2%) and was heavily relied on in the urban areas. Personal land was also available but significantly higher (P=0.023) in peri-urban areas (22.6%). The intensity of farming activities generally increased with an increase of distance from access links/centres near the Nairobi CBD area to the further placed (outskirts) access links/centres along three major network links of Nairobi County. Of all the data points, fifty nine percent (59%) had farming activities going on among the major road transects. Crop enterprises were the major farming activity (slightly over 90%). Fruits (27%) and vegetables (19.9%) were the major crops cultivated. Poultry (38.5%) and cattle (34.6%) were the major livestock found along the 4 major networks in Nairobi County. With the evidence of diminishing agricultural land and increasing of built-up areas, farmers in the city can adopt new and modern space-efficient technologies to continue producing food. This can contribute towards the achievement of some of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) especially on enhancing resilience towards food insecurity and ensuring sustainable lives in urban communities. These findings would act as a supplement to Nairobi city urban planners’ decision making process concerning UPUA, land use and space allocation and utilization of resources for increased UPUA. The departments of agriculture and the urban planning need to seek ways for utilizing the institutional land for UA. This can be possible by collaborating with the community members (especially the vulnerable - youth, women, persons with disability and low-income earners)