WEBINAR 1: Food system transitions in Nairobi slums - FOOD FUTURES

About the sessions

05.11.2010: The first session will present two projects targeting the slums in Nairobi, using a food system approach, to contribute to the SDG2 and SDG11***. After the two presentations of the projects: ‘Integrated Actions for Innovative Food Systems across Rural-Urban Communities’ and ‘Feeding cities and migration settlements’, key messages are provided by the Fish Market Authority and the Dutch Ministry, before the floor is open to feedback from the audience.

Speakers

• Ivo Demmers (WUR)
• Benson Obwanga (Egerton University)
• Rebeccah Wanjiru (FAOKE)
• Gabriel Francis Mwangi (FOSPA)
• Jane Kibwage (Fish Market Authority, Kenya)

Background

On 8 August 2020, a truck with farmed fish was brought from Nyeri to Kibera for the first time, and every week after. With very little resources a project called ‘Feeding Cities and Migration Settlements’*, contributed to food security through a structural change in the rural-urban food systems in Kenya.

Also FAOKE has a track record in carrying out projects on ways to ensure viable and sustainable food systems and poverty alleviation in cities, including the two projects called: ‘Integrated Actions for Innovative Food Systems across Rural-Urban Communities’** and ‘AgrInvest’, which foster private sector investment into agriculture. Two interrelated online Webinars will present food system approaches and discuss the complicated issue of stakeholder representation through transitioning food futures, respectively.

Introduction

Increasingly, people are migrating into cities, and large-scale cities are developing. This is also the case in Nairobi, where Kibera – sometimes referred to as the largest city in Africa – is located, among other slums. The large share of people concentrated in the city demands affordable, accessible and nutritious food, including fish and vegetables. Urban development affects the way in which the food system is organised, for example where food is produced, transported, processed and what food is being consumed. In addition, these developments emphasise the importance of rural-urban flows of goods, services and capital and the role they play in a food system.

It is critically important to understand how these factors work through transition to a sustainable food system, taking account of environmental and socio-economic drivers. In these transitions, it is important to look how rural and urban areas link, for example: how well are production areas linked with urban markets?

In a joint approach, FAOKE and WUR focus on issues and knowledge questions that are relevant to stakeholders in ruralurban food systems. What interventions take place, and how are stakeholders represented through transitioning the urban food systems?

Objective

To present examples of fish and vegetable food transitions in the Nairobi slums and interlinkages with rural areas; and discuss stakeholder representation opportunities through transitioning towards food futures.