The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysis

Urban agriculture plays a pivotal role in enhancing human well-being by contributing to food security, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability. Despite its significance, many cities lack accurate inventories to identify suitable sites for such initiatives. This study examines the poten...

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Main Authors: Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira, Tatenda Musasa, Oshneck Mupepi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-01-01
Series:Annals of GIS
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475683.2025.2455430
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author Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira
Tatenda Musasa
Oshneck Mupepi
author_facet Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira
Tatenda Musasa
Oshneck Mupepi
author_sort Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira
collection DOAJ
description Urban agriculture plays a pivotal role in enhancing human well-being by contributing to food security, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability. Despite its significance, many cities lack accurate inventories to identify suitable sites for such initiatives. This study examines the potential for urban agriculture in Cape Town using Multi-Criteria Decision Making techniques. Factors such as temperature, soil fertility, road accessibility, and precipitation were analysed using weighted overlay to determine the agricultural potential in Cape Town. Utilizing methodologies like the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Weighted Linear Combination, the agricultural potential was established. Findings indicate that there are highly suitable areas for agriculture whose potential has not yet been fully exploited. Currently, agricultural activities like vineyards, crop production, and cattle farming, though situated on good agricultural land, are not as prominent despite the availability of vast tracts of highly suitable land. Therefore, there is a need to raise awareness and promote urban agriculture to alleviate poverty-related food insecurities. The implementation of urban agriculture is anticipated to significantly improve food security, create economic opportunities, and enhance environmental sustainability within urban areas. The study recommends the need for longitudinal studies to gather essential information for informed decision-making, ensuring the sustainability of urban agriculture initiatives.
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spelling doaj-art-6bb673fadbc341ca98d8f69c2f11531a2025-08-20T03:22:18ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of GIS1947-56831947-56912025-01-0131110712210.1080/19475683.2025.2455430The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysisTinashe P. Kanosvamhira0Tatenda Musasa1Oshneck Mupepi2African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaInstitute of Water Studies, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South AfricaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Sustainability and Resilience Building, Midlands State University, Gweru, ZimbabweUrban agriculture plays a pivotal role in enhancing human well-being by contributing to food security, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability. Despite its significance, many cities lack accurate inventories to identify suitable sites for such initiatives. This study examines the potential for urban agriculture in Cape Town using Multi-Criteria Decision Making techniques. Factors such as temperature, soil fertility, road accessibility, and precipitation were analysed using weighted overlay to determine the agricultural potential in Cape Town. Utilizing methodologies like the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Weighted Linear Combination, the agricultural potential was established. Findings indicate that there are highly suitable areas for agriculture whose potential has not yet been fully exploited. Currently, agricultural activities like vineyards, crop production, and cattle farming, though situated on good agricultural land, are not as prominent despite the availability of vast tracts of highly suitable land. Therefore, there is a need to raise awareness and promote urban agriculture to alleviate poverty-related food insecurities. The implementation of urban agriculture is anticipated to significantly improve food security, create economic opportunities, and enhance environmental sustainability within urban areas. The study recommends the need for longitudinal studies to gather essential information for informed decision-making, ensuring the sustainability of urban agriculture initiatives.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475683.2025.2455430Analytic Hierarchy Processurban food securityurban agriculture suitability analysisurban land use; sustainable Development Goals
spellingShingle Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira
Tatenda Musasa
Oshneck Mupepi
The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysis
Annals of GIS
Analytic Hierarchy Process
urban food security
urban agriculture suitability analysis
urban land use; sustainable Development Goals
title The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysis
title_full The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysis
title_fullStr The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysis
title_full_unstemmed The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysis
title_short The potential for urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa: a suitability analysis
title_sort potential for urban agriculture ua in cape town south africa a suitability analysis
topic Analytic Hierarchy Process
urban food security
urban agriculture suitability analysis
urban land use; sustainable Development Goals
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19475683.2025.2455430
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