Urban agriculture enterprises and food security outcomes in secondary African cities: evidence from Mbarara city, Uganda

Abstract

Urban agriculture is increasingly promoted as a strategy for enhancing household food security in African cities, yet empirical evidence from rapidly growing secondary cities remains limited, particularly regarding how different urban agricultural enterprises contribute to food access. This study examines the role of urban agriculture in shaping household food security in Mbarara City, Uganda, by comparing outcomes across arable, poultry, livestock and mixed farming enterprises. Using a cross‐sectional survey of 310 urban farming households, food security was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and differences across enterprise types were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi‐square tests. The results indicate variation in food security outcomes across enterprise types. Households engaged in arable farming were more likely to be food‐secure than those relying primarily on poultry or livestock enterprises, whereas mixed‐enterprise households were associated with more stable food security outcomes, suggesting that diversification may buffer households against production‐ and market‐related risks. These differences reflect variations in land requirements, input costs and compatibility with dense urban environments. Overall, the study demonstrates that urban agriculture is associated with differing food security outcomes across enterprise types. By focusing on a secondary city context, the findings provide empirical evidence for debates on urban food systems and highlight the importance of enterprise selection and diversification in urban food planning amid rapid urbanisation and land constraints.