Fostering sustainability: an analysis of urban agriculture dynamics in two sub-Saharan cities – motivations, land access, and legislative challenges

Urban agriculture (UA) is increasingly acknowledged as a critical component in enhancing food security, sustaining livelihoods, and fostering sustainable urban development across African cities. This paper adopts a qualitative case-study approach to examine the motivations, operational dynamics, land access challenges, and legislative contexts of UA in two contrasting urban settings: Cape Town (South Africa) and Norton (Zimbabwe). Guided by the social capital theory and interviews with key stakeholders and policy analysis, the study reveals divergent trajectories. In Cape Town, UA is semi-institutionalised, supported by governmental and civil society actors, and framed within broader agendas of food justice and community development. However, practitioners face significant constraints related to land access, urban policy fragmentation, and competition over space. In contrast, UA in Norton is largely informal, operating as a survivalist strategy in response to persistent socio-economic challenges, with minimal formal support but relatively flexible regulatory conditions. Here, land-tenure insecurity and the threat of eviction are pressing concerns. The study highlights the role of context-specific legislative frameworks, secure land rights, and inclusive urban planning in enabling UA. By situating UA within broader debates on land governance and urban informality, this paper contributes to understanding the institutional and spatial conditions necessary for advancing UA.