The urban poor in South Asia often lack livelihood opportunities and adequate nutrition. One way to address both these shortcomings is to encourage urban farming. Projects facilitated by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), one of the partners of the Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) Foundation, assisted urban gardeners and entrepreneurs in Gampaha, Sri Lanka, with marketing, business planning and agricultural water management.

Between public policies and local initiatives, how to integrate city-agriculture links?

RUAF Update 18

FAO has published this week "Cidades mais verdes na África", the Portuguese edition of its report, "Growing greener cities in Africa" (FAO, 2012).

The report is based on an Africa-wide survey and on country case studies. It reviews the current state of urban and peri-urban horticulture (UPH) in cities across the continent. It presents major findings, profiles of UPH in 22 countries, and recommendations for the development of market gardens to serve Africa's urban population.