Empowering Urban Agriculture: A Case Study of Training Programs Targeting Women Farmers in Uganda

Abstract

Wakiso District in Uganda is undergoing rapid urbanization which is disrupting traditional agricultural livelihoods. As land and other resources become increasingly scarce, farmers are turning to urban agriculture techniques to support their households, which in turn creates new challenges. This is particularly true of women farmers who struggle to access, control, and make decisions over key agricultural resources. Caritas Kampala is a Catholic NGO working with women farmers throughout Wakiso to enhance their urban and peri-urban agriculture outcomes. This study uses a Feminist Political Ecology lens to investigate how these urban agriculture interventions impact women farmers. It argues that these programs offer many benefits to women farmers. However broader gender norms must be addressed if the program is to meaningfully impact systemic gender inequity.