Rethinking Urban Food Systems in Nairobi: Embracing Local Context for Sustainable Transformation

Abstract

Urban food systems are crucial for addressing sustainability, equity, and resilience, especially in rapidly growing cities of the Global South. Yet, urban planners have long neglected them. In Nairobi, where up to 60% of residents live in informal settlements and many spend over half their income on food, the food system remains fragmented despite extensive interventions. Drawing on research in Kasarani, a constituency of Nairobi, this article explores how residents navigate and use the social, economic, and infrastructural dynamics of their neighborhoods to secure food and their livelihoods. We show that policy approaches centered on formalization and large‐scale projects often ignore the value of everyday practices and local networks. Informal actors, such as mama mbogas (fresh produce traders), are vital for food security and community resilience. We advocate for urban food governance that embraces the coexistence of on‐ and off‐grid systems and recognizes informal economies as central to urban resilience. By emphasizing residents' lived experiences, we highlight pathways for more inclusive and transformative urban food planning.