Abstract

Urban farming (UF) offers potential benefits to urban areas and has captured the attention of residents. Based on a survey and interview of 210 urban farmers, this article explores the potential benefits, and constraints to urban farming, in southeast Nigeria. The farmers indicated that the potential benefits included: food source, income source and efficient utilization of space among others. Major food produced were staples like cassava and maize, while vegetables were Telfaria, okra and Amaranthus spp. The farmers also reported that insecurity of land, lack of access to credit facilities; theft and destruction of crops by stray animals were among the constraints faced by the urban farmers. It is, therefore, necessary that urban farming be legalized to be part of urban policy in order to realize the full potentials

Key words: Urban farming, southeast Nigeria, potential benefits, constraints.