GROWING AND MARKETING INDIGENOUS VEGETABLE SPECIES FOR SUSTENANCE IN URBAN AREAS OF ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

In Abia State, Nigeria, growing indigenous vegetable species is increasing among many poor urban households.
Available marginal land spaces in cities as well as peri-urban farmlands are now being put to use for the production of various kinds of indigenous vegetable species as a conscious effort by poor urban dwellers to utilize local resources to combat hunger and poverty in their households.
These endeavours have been outstandingly successful, as can be seen from increased vegetable production and income generation as well as enhanced nutrition in urban households.
In view of these results, this paper recognizes the emerging and crucial role that enterprises producing and marketing indigenous vegetables could play in addressing poverty and hunger in the area studied.
The paper also identifies various potentials, opportunities and challenges associated with such enterprises and recommends a policy agenda which should be set up to optimize them: 1) seek to promote the systematic and strategic improvement of indigenous vegetable species through research and development studies; 2) establish urban land use legislation that will control use of available land resources in urban area for farming; 3) ensure and promote environmental sanitation and sustainability; 4) seek to protect public health.

International Symposium on Urban and Peri-Urban Horticulture in the Century of Cities: Lessons, Challenges, Opportunitites

K.C. Ekwe, S. Onwuka , C.C. Ekwe

indigenous, vegetable species, sustenance, wealth creation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1021.28