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Project properties |
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| Title | Cities feeding people. Dynamics of irrigated urban agriculture in Tanzania |
| Group | Water Resources Management group |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 36 |
| Supervisor(s) | Matthijs Wessels |
| Examiner(s) | |
| Contact info | matthijs.wessels@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2020/09/01 |
| End date | 2022/01/01 |
| Description | Country: Tanzania
Host institute: to be determined Period: open Problem context Cities in East Africa are growing fast, posing major challenges to environmental protection and the supply of adequate shelter, food, water and sanitation. Despite experiencing constant pressures – such as the threat of displacement by the city authorities, lack of clarity about land ownership, negative health impacts and cultural taboos – urban agriculture has persisted alongside this growth and is an important contributor to urban food security. With short distances to consumers, farmers grow high-value crops, and significantly contribute to the informal economy in terms of food supply and employment. Urban development, however, limits the choice of farming sites to marginalized sites, and displacement under the pressure of urbanization is common. The use of urban return flows (e.g. wastewater) for agriculture is a common practice in and around many cities. Farmers are responsive to the opportunities of water and nutrient reuse, but this poses risks to themselves and consumers. Describing it as an unwanted or temporal practice, local authorities question the viability and sustainability of urban agriculture. Research Objective/Question The general objective of this research topic is to understand agricultural practices and related typologies of urban water use in Tanzania. Specific research objectives are formulated based on the research location and together with the host institute. What is expected from the student (type of research) The student is expected to conduct a case study research within an urban context where farming practices are taking place. Based on the specific research objective and research questions, different research methods (e.g. interviews, field visits, etc.) are used to understand the dynamics of urban agriculture and water management practices. |
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