Planning for and against street vending in African cities

Abstract

The Chisokone food market in urban Kitwe (Zambia) occupied zoned land that could be used for a mall and was relocated to make way for “development.” This presentation by African Food Security Urban Network (AFSUN) reviews the urban planning framework within which food markets operate. Anti-informality is entrenched through Master Plans and zoning schemes; conflicting practices illustrate no clear mandates for local governments, with decisions about markets informed by a set of actors made powerful by historic planning frameworks (marketeers, large scale private sector, donor agencies). AFSUN advocates for integrating food security into urban planning practices.