Socio-economic contributions and challenges of urban agriculture practice in Ethiopia

It is vital to understand the contributions and challenges of urban agriculture (UA) to take corrective measures in turn enhancing the sector. Thus, the objective of the study was to assess the socio-economic contributions and challenges of UA in some selected urban centers of Ethiopia. The study employed cross-sectional household survey data collected from 385 UA practitioners in five urban centers. In addition, qualitative data were obtained using key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean) and a multiple linear regression model. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and Food Consumption Score were used to assess the contribution of UA to household food security. It was found that UA practice has a paramount contribution to enhancing the food security and incomes of UA practitioners. The study revealed that finance, technologies, water, and land were hindering factors of UA practice in Ethiopia.