Abstract
Urban agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is progressively acknowledged as a critical livelihood
strategy for rapidly growing urban populations. However, current research has predominantly
focused on rural agricultural systems, leaving significant deficiencies in understanding how
urban institutional ecosystems, land tenure, credit access, extension services, and government
programs shape farmer outcomes. This study tackles three gaps: (1) inadequate examination of
urban institutional support for agricultural diversification; (2) limited understanding of land
tenure-finance interactions in enabling climate adaptation; and (3) the absence of mixedmethods, spatially disaggregated analyses in urban agricultural policy systems.
Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study analyzed data from 58
urban and peri-urban farmers and 3 NGO representatives in Ga East District, Accra, Ghana.
Qualitative data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS. Quantitative survey data were
analyzed in Stata using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression models.
The study finds that land insecurity is a binding constraint on urban farmers' diversification,
adaptation, and well-being. Without secure tenure, farmers cannot invest in irrigation, access
credit effectively, or plan for the long term. National programs, namely Planting for Food and
Jobs (PFJ), are designed for rural contexts and systematically exclude urban farmers. Policy
recommendations include establishing urban agricultural zoning, creating land security
instruments for informal farmers, designing an urban-specific PFJ track, differentiating credit
products for working versus investment capital, and integrating irrigation support with tenure
security. Subsequent research should prioritize longitudinal panel studies, key informant
interviews with PFJ officials, and multi-district probability sampling to determine causality and
external validity