Johannesburg’s marginalised settlements are among the most dynamic urban environments globally. These locations have limited infrastructure resources, which have negatively impacted household livelihoods. There is a critical need for developing planning support systems to improve the quality of life in these communities. As part of the city’s transformation strategy, urban agriculture has emerged as a critical approach to enhancing food security and economic empowerment, particularly in marginalized areas. However, effective planning for urban agriculture necessitates spatial intelligence and community engagement. This study employs a mixed-method approach, combining indigenous knowledge systems with spatial data to assess land suitability. The findings present a land suitability index to inform spatial planning, demonstrating how integrating GIS and citizen science strengthens urban resilience through adaptive land use, improved local food systems, and climate change mitigation.
Moyo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.