Belay Simane (Professor)Siraj Akmel2024-07-232024-07-232023-08https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/3297The study attempted to assess the socio-economic and ecological conservation contribution of urban agricultural practices in the study area. Moreover, it attempted to assess coordination and cooperation among stakeholders regarding urban agricultural production and productivity. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection were employed for the study. Urban Agriculture is found not as a major source of household income in the study area; rather a supplementary activity with other income-generating activities. It has been practiced as a means of substituting market commodities by directly accessing household food needs through own production. UA practice in the study area contributes to sharing of knowledge & experience about agricultural produce types and practices. Urban agriculture’s contribution to employment other than members of households was found insignificant. Rather, households do the practice mainly as a supplementary activity to other income-generating activities. Urban agricultural practice in the study area serves as a means for coming together for close neighbors to get-together to discuss different social, economic and political issues. It also enabled households to keep different varieties of vegetables, fruits, spices and nonfood trees and flowers: - contributing to conservation of urban biodiversity. Moreover, the practice enabled households to keep their vicinity clean, conserve the soil, reduce flooding, reduce temperatures during dry seasons. In the provision of support services to urban households, major challenges related to urban agriculture in the study area include: lack/ weak consistency or alignment of directive, proclamation, weak/loose coordination of stakeholders, lack of access to land, water and agricultural inputs.endirectiveproclamationThesis