Assessing urban planning constraints to urban agriculture and food security in Chimutu ward in Lilongwe city

Abstract

Over 60% of urban residents in Lilongwe engage in backyard gardening to combat household food insecurity (Mazunda, 2012), highlighting the significance of urban farming as a survival strategy rather than a recreational activity. This study examined how urban planning influences urban agriculture and its contribution to food security in Lilongwe. A mixed-methods approach was employed involving 383 households and 7 key informants. Data was collected using structured questionnaires for individual interviews and checklists for Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression, while qualitative data was analysed through thematic analysis. The study found that urban planning, as dictated by the Malawi National Land Policy (2016), influences urban agriculture significantly. While the policy promotes sustainable land use, it limits farming activities in residential areas to prevent conflicts and maintain urban order. Despite these restrictions, informal urban agriculture persists helping alleviate food insecurity. However, urban agriculture faces several challenges, particularly conflicts with zoning laws enforced by the Lilongwe City Council, limited access to land, and insufficient water resources for irrigation and restrictive environmental protection laws. These challenges underscore the need for policies that balance urban development with food security and sustainable resource management. The study, therefore, recommends key policy adjustments to integrate urban agriculture more formally into urban planning frameworks. The study recommends that City authorities should revise and develop zoning regulation that recognise urban agriculture as a legitimate land use activity in urban areas to help define where and how urban farming can take place within the city. Further, the research recommends that future research be conducted to understand food consumption patterns in urban and rural areas, focusing on factors such as access to diverse foods, cultural preferences, socioeconomic status and dietary behaviours.