World Ark Magazine - January/February 2008 - (Page 33) “Poorer urban households typically spend a greater share of their income on food than wealthier In other words, growing food is not a hobby for most people—it is a necessity. Studies from several African cities have shown that families engaged in urban agriculture eat better, as measured by caloric and protein intake or children’s growth rates. In terms of providing an essential source of food and income, urban and peri-urban agriculture is probably most important in sub-Saharan Africa. In the cities and towns in East Africa, a third of urban dwellers are engaged in agriculture. In West Africa, the number of households involved in urban agriculture varies from more than 50 percent in Dakar, Senegal, to roughly 14 percent in Accra, Ghana. In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 60 percent of the milk sold is produced right in the city. Farms in the city can often supply markets on a more regular basis than distant rural farms can, particularly when refrigeration is scarce or during a rainy season when roads are bad. And local food production might be the best option for feeding urbanites neglected by the long-distance food chain. In both the industrial and the developing world, poorer urban households typically spend a greater share of their income on food than wealthier urbanites do. In some cases, poor urbanites spend 60–80 percent of their income on food, making them urbanites do. In some cases, poor urbanites spend 60–80 percent of their income on food, making them especially vulnerable to price changes.” Number of cities with at least 1 million inhabitants, 2005 B EVERYMOSQUITO, FLICKR (336) www.heifer.org January/February 2008 | WORLD ARK 33 http://www.heifer.org
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