Urbanization in Kenya has led to increased population density and competition for land, leaving limited space for agricultural activities. Between 1999 and 2009, Kenya’s urban population grew from 5 million to 12 million, intensifying the challenges of ensuring access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food in urban and peri-urban areas. In Kisumu, residents face malnutrition and inadequate availability of fresh, green leafy vegetables due to these constraints.
Urban gardening has emerged as a viable solution to address these challenges. However, effective adoption of urban farming technologies requires innovative and community-centered approaches to overcome barriers such as lack of skills, resources, and awareness.
Key Findings
The Kisumu Food System Lab implemented the “ambassador model” under the Healthy Food Africa Project to address these challenges. The approach combines community dialogue, capacity building, and peer-led training to promote urban gardening technologies in informal settlements of Kisumu, specifically in Manyatta and Obunga.
Key actions included:
1. Community Engagement: Community dialogue sessions were held with diverse stakeholders, including local leaders, opinion leaders, residents, and government representatives. These discussions identified malnutrition and limited availability of safe vegetables as priority challenges.
2. Training and Learning Centers:
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- 52 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) and 144 Home Gardening Ambassadors (HGAs) were trained on urban farming techniques.
- Six community urban gardening learning centers were established as hubs for hands-on learning and demonstration of gardening technologies such as vertical gardens, sack gardens, and tin gardens.
3. Peer-to-Peer Training: Each HGA trained six additional households in their respective villages, exponentially increasing the reach and adoption of urban gardening practices.
4. Seed Distribution: Four varieties of local vegetable seeds, sourced from a community seed bank in Vihiga, were distributed to households, with each 10-gram packet yielding approximately 3 kilograms of vegetables over a three-month harvesting period.
Benefits and Impact
The ambassador model has significantly improved food security and nutrition outcomes in Kisumu by enhancing access to safe, reliable, and self-produced vegetables. Key results include:
- Increased Adoption: Over 374 households adopted urban gardening practices, leveraging technologies demonstrated at the learning centers.
- Improved Dietary Diversity: Residents in Manyatta A and Obunga Central 1 and 2 gained a consistent supply of fresh vegetables, contributing to improved dietary quality and nutrition.
- Empowered Communities: By leveraging local ambassadors and CHPs, the model ensured skill transfer, community ownership, and sustainability of urban gardening practices.
Practical Recommendations
- Expand the Ambassador Model: Scale the initiative to other urban and peri-urban areas facing similar challenges to amplify its impact.
- Strengthen Local Seed Banks: Promote access to diverse, high-quality vegetable seeds through community seed banks to support continuous production.
- Integrate Government Support: Enhance collaboration with local government bodies to provide technical support and ensure long-term program sustainability.
- Monitor and Evaluate Outcomes: Establish a robust monitoring framework to track adoption rates, food security improvements, and nutritional outcomes.
Contact Information
Joseh Amoke, Christine Chege
Food System Lab Kisumu, Kenya