Urban farming comprises cultivation of staple food crops during the rainy season and dry season production of
vegetable. The latter is heavily-depended on sustainable access to irrigation water which is a constraining factor
for many intended urban vegetable cultivators. Utilization of water from excavation pits for irrigation activities
provides eco-supportive infrastructural base for urban farmers in Zaria which is the focus of this paper. The
objectives of the paper were to examine the contribution of the farming activities to income and food security of
the farmers and analyse the eco-supportive component of the use of excavation pits. Data were obtained from 10
farmers between December, 2011 and May, 2012 through structured interview and observation. Findings of the
study reveal that crops cultivated were tomato, pepper, onions, sweet and Irish potatoes, cabbage, green peas and
sugarcane from which the farmers derive food and income. Though the income to farmers vary based on
production factors like acreage, types of crops, and use of input, the farmers obtained higher incomes from the
farm compared to their primary occupations. The utilization of excavation pits for farming is eco-supportive by
regulating the water balance of the microenvironment, the green area serves as carbon sink particularly during
the dry season, and it is a low-cost water extraction process compared to sinking boreholes for the same
purposes. The constraints observable are related to insecure land tenure, disturbance from straying domestic
animals and theft of farm produce. Recommendations include regulation of water extraction to ensure
sustainability and deliberate concentration of excavation pits such that larger and deeper pool of water can be
available for farming activities.