Journal of Agriculture and E nvironmental Sciences June 2017, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 66-77 ISSN: 2334-2404 (Print), 2334-2412 (Online) Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. Published by American Research Institute for Policy Development DOI: 10.15640/jaes.v6n1a7 URL: https://doi.org/10.15640/jaes.v6n1a7 Food Security and E nvironmental Implications of Urban Wetlands Utilisation as Vegetable Gardens: The Case of Bamenda Municipality Cameroon Asongwe Godswill Azinwie 1 , Bernard P.K Yerima 2 Aaron Suh Tening 3 , & Mbomi E lizabeth Sailieh 1 Abstract Wetland agriculture brings significant benefits to food security, health and income. However, ill-considered development often leads to deleterious environmental impacts and harmful consequences to people’s livelihoods. This study using multi-criteria approach addresses possible environmental and food security hazards’ in vegetable gardens in urban wetlands of the Bamenda municipality, besides conflicts over access. It evaluates their ecological status, soil heavy metal loads, and their accumulation in vegetables. Twenty one samples each of surface soils and Solanum scarbrum were collected from vegetable gardens in the municipality and analysed for their heavy metal (Cd, Pb, Cr, and Mn) content using the atomic absorption spectrometry. The results indicated that the wetlands of the municipality have been moderately modified with a loss and change of biota such as the Raffia fanifera. Pollution load indices varied considerably at the different sites, and ranged from unpolluted through slight pollution to medium pollution. The mean values of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for Solanum scarbrum, stood at Cd> Mn> Pb> Cr, with respective values of1.23, 1.14, 1.01, and 0.48, insignificantly higher (P> 0.05) than those of the control sample. Cadmium is easily transferred in this vegetable than any other metal. The intake of Cd was estimated at 9E -7 mg, representing approximately 0.009 % of the referenced dose (RfD), established to 0.001 mg kg –1 .Due to the gradual degradation of wetlands in Bamenda and the urgent need to secure and improve people’s quality of life while simultaneously safeguarding the ecological benefits derived from the wetland, policy makers should integrate conservation and development in planning. Keywords: Wetland, environmental quality, food security. 1. Background of the Study Wetlands and their allied resources contribute enormously to food production, and livelihoods. In Africa, most economies are largely agrarian-based with about 66% of wetlands used for agriculture (Adams, 1995; IWMI, 2006). However, achieving food security and environmental quality still remains a major concern (Pinstrup-Andersen, 2002; UN, 2007). Urban areas are characterised by a variety of human activities, which results to the discharge of a mixture of hazardous chemical substances into the environment. Similarly, the ever-growing land pressure aggravates the demand for arable farmlands. This hassled to an increasing number of people invading wetlands for agricultural activities. In this fight for survival, they often engage in unsustainable use of these natural resources, causing degradation and other adverse effects. If wetlands are not used sustainably, the functions, which support agriculture, as well as other food security components, ecosystem services, including water-related services, are undermined. 1 Department of Development Studies, Pan African Institute for Development -West Africa (PAID-WA) Buea Cameroon. P. O. Box 133 Buea Cameroon 2 Department of Soil Sciences, University of Dschang Cameroon. P. O. Box 69 Dschang Cameroon 3 Department of Agronomic and Applied Molecular Sciences, University of Buea Cameroon. P.O. Box 63 Buea Cameroon.