Assessing Spatial Distribution, Challenges and Prospects of Urban Agriculture (Vegetable) In Arada Subcity, Addis Ababa; Implications for Sustainability and Spatial Integration
| dc.contributor.advisor | Solomon Benti | |
| dc.contributor.author | Loza Teferi | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-29T07:17:02Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-29T07:17:02Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-06-01 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Urban agriculture (UA) has been an important livelihood strategy for thousands of households in Addis Ababa. This study assesses the challenges and sustainability potential of vegetable urban agriculture in Arada Subcity, with implications for spatial integration. For this research, a mixed-methods design was used, combining surveys of 190 urban farmers, 16 key informant interviews, GIS mapping, and case study analysis as it focuses on Woreda 07. The results show that in the inner parts of the urban landscape, vegetable cultivation is highly practiced on structurally insecure lands, which are vacant lots (45%), institutional compounds (29%), and residential compounds (17%), with average plot sizes of just 10 m². Consequently, 83% of farmers lack secure land tenure, facing displacement threats from eviction (51%) and development projects (39%). Regarding gender, women comprise 75% of practitioners; however, they face systematic disadvantages as men are much more likely [8x] to use advanced farming methods (23% vs. 3%) and nearly twice as likely to have secure tenure (26% vs. 14%). Even though UA faces constraints, it still significantly contributes to food security, with 76% of harvest used for household consumption. A quantified case study analysis shows that a 365 m² sized farm can produce from 1,111 to 1,666 kg of vegetables annually, sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of 18–28 people. Given that current UA is spatially fragmented across high-eviction-risk sites (vacant lots and institutional compounds), while corridor development projects proceed regardless, this study concludes that spatial integration must formally recognize and protect existing productive zones rather than displacing them. Accordingly, the proposed framework prioritizes temporary use agreements, tenure arrangements for small plots (≥10 m²), and incorporation of UA into corridor planning, with rooftop agriculture on parking structures as one viable option where applicable. This research demonstrates that transitioning UA from informality to formal spatial integration is essential to realize its multifunctional potential within broader sustainable development goals. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/8736 | |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | |
| dc.subject | Addis Ababa | |
| dc.subject | food security | |
| dc.subject | land tenure | |
| dc.subject | spatial planning | |
| dc.subject | vegetable urban agriculture | |
| dc.title | Assessing Spatial Distribution, Challenges and Prospects of Urban Agriculture (Vegetable) In Arada Subcity, Addis Ababa; Implications for Sustainability and Spatial Integration | |
| dc.type | Thesis |