An investigation of urban agriculture projects as a local economic development mechanism to alleviate poverty in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

Around the globe, towns and cities are growing rapidly in developing countries due to migration. The rate of urban growth outweighs job creation and the ability of most governments to provide basic services and infrastructure. The process of migration often precipitates into high levels of poverty and hunger, leading many urban dwellers to engage in agricultural activities to help themselves in satisfying their food need. The context of the research area is the NMBM townships where urban agriculture projects are taking place. There are three urban agriculture projects that were selected for this study and these are located in three different townships within the NMBM. Two of these projects are located in the Port Elizabeth area, which are the Emmanuel Haven Hydroponics Project, which is located in Motherwell Township, and the Walmer Hydroponics Co-operative that is in Walmer Township. The third project is located in the Uitenhage area near Kwa Nobuhle Township and that is the Tinarha Agriculture Tourism Initiative (TATI). The discussion in this research focuses on the NMBM poverty alleviation projects in the form of urban agriculture as a key driver of LED. The discussion also focuses on different factors that are required for urban agriculture projects to be effective and sustainable in the NMBM. Five project participants from each project responded to a structured questionnaire. Two municipal officials, the Agricultural Technician and the Urban Agriculture Director were interviewed and responded to a separate structured questionnaire. The third official, Assistant Director for Economic Development and Recreational Services was not interviewed but completed a questionnaire. The aim of the interviews was to determine the following from the project participants: (i) The impact of the projects in their livelihood; (ii) The role of the projects in creating employment; (iii) The views of the project participants regarding the sustainability of the projects. vi The aim of the interviews was to determine the following from the municipal managers: (i) The approach of the NMBM to urban agriculture initiatives as a LED strategy; (ii) The role of NMBM to ensure sustainability of the urban agriculture projects. The theoretical base that underpins this research hinges on four theoretical approaches: the basic needs approach, the people-centred development approach, the participation approach and the sustainable development approach. The research method that was chosen for this study is qualitative method included the following data collection instruments a literature review, a documentary analysis, a survey using questionnaires and interviews with project participants and municipal officials responsible for urban agriculture in the NMBM. The literature review formed the conceptual basis against which the information gained from documentary analysis, interviews and questionnaires were analysed. The projects that participated in the study were formed, amongst others, to alleviate poverty, thereby serving one of the basic needs which is food. Food is one of the basic needs in terms of Maslow‟s Hierarchy of Needs. The data collected in this study revealed that the three projects helped the project participants a great deal in meeting their basic needs, especially the food need. Therefore, there is a direct connection between the Basic Needs theory and the rationale behind the formation of these projects. In conclusion, the researcher has been able to draw a link between the theoretical underpinnings of the study and the practice as represented by experiences of the group sample. The researcher has also been able to demonstrate how the aims and the objectives of the study have been met