Urban cultivation: food crops and their importance

Abstract

Despite having become a popular research field in the last decade, the study of urban cultivation suffers from a weak empirical base. This article argues that one of the aspects that has received only cursory attention is that of the crops that are grown. Support for this argument is based on a short review of the literature. Against this background, a method of deriving an index of crop importance is outlined. The index is based on crops that are grown by cultivators in the Eastern Cape, and individual measures that constitute it are those closely linked to household welfare. Consumption levels, the monetary value of crops consumed, and the income from crop sales are three examples. The index provides a more logical and legitimate basis for policy and planning than was previously the case. The emphasis is placed on the activities and priorities of the cultivators as opposed to hypothetically derived goals.