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<p>Urban agroforestry has emerged as a critical strategy for enhancing food security and ecological resilience in rapidly urbanizing African cities. Yet, empirical insights into its practice, constraints, and contributions remain limited, particularly in secondary cities like Kumasi, Ghana. This study employs a convergent mixed-methods design to investigate the forms, drivers, and outcomes of urban agroforestry across four administrative units within the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area. Guided by the Urban Political Ecology (UPE) framework and informed by FAO’s multidimensional concept of food security, data were collected from 100 purposively selected practitioners using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed through both statistical and thematic techniques. Results reveal three dominant agroforestry systems, scattered trees, home gardens, and boundary plantings, whose adoption patterns are significantly influenced by age, education, land tenure security, and access to extension services. Fruit-bearing trees constituted over 60% of cultivated species, directly enhancing household food availability, while 64% of practitioners sold surplus produce, indicating strong economic linkages. However, widespread institutional constraints, including insecure tenure, lack of market access, and limited extension services, undermine broader adoption and system intensification. These findings highlight the multifaceted role of urban agroforestry in reconciling food, livelihood, and environmental goals in African cities, and underscore the need for integrated urban policy frameworks that secure land, expand extension coverage, and strengthen market linkages. By centering Kumasi, a historically green but under-researched urban landscape, this study offers nuanced insights critical for regional urban sustainability and agroecological planning. </p>

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Urban agroforestry practices and their role in food security and green space restoration: evidence from Kumasi, Ghana

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年6月10日

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  • Cecilia Gyimah Akuley,
  • Erastus Mak-Mensah

摘要

Urban agroforestry has emerged as a critical strategy for enhancing food security and ecological resilience in rapidly urbanizing African cities. Yet, empirical insights into its practice, constraints, and contributions remain limited, particularly in secondary cities like Kumasi, Ghana. This study employs a convergent mixed-methods design to investigate the forms, drivers, and outcomes of urban agroforestry across four administrative units within the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area. Guided by the Urban Political Ecology (UPE) framework and informed by FAO’s multidimensional concept of food security, data were collected from 100 purposively selected practitioners using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed through both statistical and thematic techniques. Results reveal three dominant agroforestry systems, scattered trees, home gardens, and boundary plantings, whose adoption patterns are significantly influenced by age, education, land tenure security, and access to extension services. Fruit-bearing trees constituted over 60% of cultivated species, directly enhancing household food availability, while 64% of practitioners sold surplus produce, indicating strong economic linkages. However, widespread institutional constraints, including insecure tenure, lack of market access, and limited extension services, undermine broader adoption and system intensification. These findings highlight the multifaceted role of urban agroforestry in reconciling food, livelihood, and environmental goals in African cities, and underscore the need for integrated urban policy frameworks that secure land, expand extension coverage, and strengthen market linkages. By centering Kumasi, a historically green but under-researched urban landscape, this study offers nuanced insights critical for regional urban sustainability and agroecological planning.