‘Instead of Begging, I Farm to Feed My Children’: Urban Agriculture – An Alternative to Copper and Cobalt in Lubumbashi

The collapse of a large mining company in the 1990s forced many unemployed workers in Lubumbashi, DRC to look at alternative means of survival. The post-mine era was characterized by acute economic crisis at a time of rapid population growth and increasing urban poverty. This article demonstrates how Lubumbashi residents resorted to agricultural activities within and around the city; identifies reasons for success and failure; and categorizes the types of agriculture that emerged. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, in-depth questions and observation.