For several decades, a diverse literature has claimed that urban agriculture has the potential for hunger and poverty alleviation. This article reviews empirical data from equatorial Africa that touch on this assertion, updating the work on the subject published in the mid-1990s. Research, largely from East Africa but also including Cameroon in West Central Africa, appearing in several recent and currently emerging publications is assessed and compared. The article

This paper considers the risks from and vulnerabilities to flooding in four urban poor communities close to the coast in Lagos, Nigeria. Drawing on interviews with inhabitants and key informants and also on group discussions, it documents the scale and frequency of flooding in these settlements and the impacts, as well as the individual, household and community responses.

Significant lessons can be drawn from grassroots experiences of coping with extreme weather for reducing the vulnerability of the urban poor to climate change. This paper examines the household and community coping strategies used by low-income households living in Korail, the largest informal settlement in Dhaka. This includes how they use physical, economic and social means to reduce risk, reduce losses and facilitate recovery from flooding and high

This paper describes the institutional and resource challenges and opportunities in getting different sectors in eThekwini Municipality (the local government responsible for planning and managing the city of Durban) to recognize and respond to their role in climate change adaptation.

This paper draws on case studies in Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania and Vietnam to explore the different ways in which migration intersects with the changing relations between rural and urban areas and activities, and in the process transforms livelihoods and the relations between young and older men and women. Livelihood strategies are becoming increasingly diverse, and during interviews people were asked to describe their first, second and third occupations, the time allocated to each and the income that each produced. In all study regions, the number of young people migrating is increasing.

Our cities are under pressure – pressure from people, resources and the environment. With India’s burgeoning population, no one is sure as to how long our cities can go on with our existing models of living. Worse still, the years to come will put more pressure on our cities from its people in terms of resources and amenities of life. According to a McKinsey Global Institute report, by 2030, the population of India's cities will increase to 590 million, and by then India will have 68 cities with over 1 million population!

High prevalence and poor control of asthma make its management a major public health issue worldwide, especially in developing countries. Optimum review of asthma management in the community is essential to improve asthma control. This study was conducted to investigate the quality of asthma management, knowledge about asthma and quality of life of asthma patients referred to a public tertiary care chest hospital in Delhi.

New Delhi: The skyline of Indian cities could soar as the government considers permitting vertical growth with the aim of checking runaway realty prices and generating resources to upgrade urban infrastructure for future growth. A Planning Commission steering committee, in its draft report, has recommended providing additional FSI (floor space index; the ratio between built-up area and plot size) as development rights, but said it should not come free of cost.

New Delhi: The stupendous growth of east Delhi over the last few decades has come with a set of problems. Colonies have mushroomed and constructions have gone up, which are mostly unplanned and of poor quality. This has been highlighted in the report of the Delhi government-appointed Commission of Inquiry on structural safety of buildings. The Commission has recommended strict implementation of building bylaws and decongestion of the area by developing satellite townships.

A survey of East Delhi has revealed the area’s vulnerability to damage from earthquakes, due to unauthorised construction and lack of adherence to norms.
The survey was carried out by the National Institute of Disaster Management with the help of MCD engineers, who were trained for the task. A representative sample survey of 1 per cent of the total buildings (10,000 structures) was carried out by means of Rapid Visual Screening in all the 64 wards of MCD. The survey covered the entire area of East Delhi, spread over 124 sq kilometres.

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