ABSTRACT
This chapter serves as an introduction to the subject matter of urban agriculture in three selected cities of the Global South. It formulates research objectives, research questions and hypotheses, which are verified in the following parts of this book. It also presents an explanation for the selection of the case studies – Havana, Singapore and Kigali – as well as indicates various criteria of dividing the world into countries of the Global North and Global South, with an emphasis on internal diversity of both regions. This chapter outlines the structure of the research procedure, split into three stages: analysis and preparation (I), field work (II) and comparison and summary (III), as well as describes the applied research methods and states the reasons for their selection. It analyses the basic concepts, discusses the problems relating to defining urban agriculture and presents the role it can play in the spatial and functional structure of cities. Finally, it also points out the risks arising from improper management of urban agriculture and application of inadequate farming practices.
