Ecosystem Provisioning Services in Global South Cities

Abstract

All of humankind, urban and rural, rich and poor and whether living in the Global South or the Global North rely to some degree on provisioning ecosystem services such as food, water, timber, fibre and medicinal products. However, in contrast to the Global North the contextual forces shaping many urban livelihoods in the Global South necessitate that many people access the needed provisioning services themselves by directly harvesting or collecting from the immediate, local urban and peri-urban environments, or purchasing them from those who do. Thus, the need for and local availability of provisioning services has profound implications for not only the quality of urban livelihoods, but also the urban ecology in relation to extent and use of urban green infrastructure from where the provisioning services are sourced and the species within them. This chapter summarises compelling evidence from throughout the Global South regarding the extent of use of locally sourced provisioning services by urban communities. It shows that Global South contexts prompt the use of a diverse array of resource types and hundreds of different species in specific settings, much greater than found in Global North cities. The chapter explores the types, extent and nature of locally sourced provisioning services and contributions that they make to urban livelihoods via (1) direct household provisioning, (2) cash savings, (3) safety nets during adverse times, (4) income generation and (5) culture and traditions. It then explores the local-scale factors that influence the nature and extent of use, including proximity to harvest or collection site, access, local ecological knowledge, migrant status, culture and affluence. Thereafter, the social and ecological effects of local harvesting are considered, which potentially effect the sustainability of sought-after species and populations. The chapter ends with pointers on how the quality and quantity of locally produced provisioning services can be secured and enhanced and thereby better support urban livelihoods, especially of the urban poor, in the Global South.