URBAN AGRICULTURE CROPS AND ITS POTENTIALITIES

Abstract

This paper is based on urban agriculture supporting to reduce household poverty, as well as this types of agricultural production and management of crops and livestock/poultry directly help to household economy of urban or periphery area, especially to meet local needs. This paper aims to explore the urban agriculture (UA) in terms of urban food security and employment in the Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Primary data collection was done in February- April, 2023 by snowball sampling technique because of the farm owner couldn’t meet at farm areas and only found the workers then collected the phone number (all respondents)  and fixed the interview time then collect the data, considering the households with more than 4 Ropany (0.2 ha) of farmland as  sampling units in three urban pockets- one road accessible pocket (Taudaha), second one less accessible pocket with Bhatkepati settlement, and the last one isolated pocket (Jankha), followed by observation and face to face interviews which includes total 64/64 household surveys (20 in Taudaha, 24 in Bhatkepati and 20 in Jankha) using structured questionnaire for interview schedule.         

The analysis of the development functions shows that most of the people in the urban area emphasized to better employment and education as well as drinking water, road, trade/business and agricultural integration for overall development this places but lack of irrigation facilities was the most crucial problem for the development of agriculture. Other major problems include lack of modern inputs and technologies, decreased interest of youth in agricultural occupation, inadequate road network and financial problems. The organizations supporting agricultural activities and the potentials of integrated development of agriculture in Kirtipur has been assessed and analyzed with suggestions and recommendations for reducing urban poverty and food insecurity. The major suggestions include promoting irrigation facilities; market oriented organic vegetable production; in-depth study for fruit growing and beekeeping promotion; and strengthening agricultural extension services with proper sustainable urban farming policies for promoting urban food security and employment.