Planning Policy Frameworks and Urban Agriculture Practices in Western Kenya

Abstract

Urban Agriculture (UA) has largely been embraced globally ostensibly for market as well as food for family consumption. The increased urbanization culminating into rise in poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition has necessitated UA as a critical option for livelihood and a source of income to many families. Despite of this fact, UA practices are often performed without formal recognition and structural support from municipal policies and legislation. The general objective of the study was to investigate the influence of planning policy frameworks on urban agriculture practices in Eldoret, Kakamega and Kisumu towns. The specific objectives were to investigate the influence of economic; social, and environmental aspects of urban planning. Cross sectional survey design was adopted on a target population of 440 urban farmers (Eldoret: N=137; Kakamega: N=145; Kisumu: N=158) identified through the assistance of County Agricultural officers in the three towns. A sample size of 205 respondents (Eldoret=63; Kakamega=68; Kisumu=74) was obtained using stratified technique. Questionnaire and Key Informant interviews were used for data collection. Inferential statistics using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used in data analysis. It found that economic influence of urban planning legislation declined, social influence increased only in Kakamega while environmental influence doubled in all towns during the period after the devolved system Findings also revealed that the newly enacted urban planning legislations had no major influence on planning, promotion and regulation of urban agriculture, except for minor changes, although a significant (n=205; r =.389; p < 0.05) low positive correlation relationship with urban agriculture practice existed, indicating more proactive urban planning legislations would be associated to more involvement in urban agriculture practice.