Increasing food security through urban farming in Nairobi

As any visitor to Kenya's capital can see, farming activities are everywhere, not only in the outskirts but also in the heart of the city. Along roadsides, in the middle of roundabouts, along and between railway lines, in parks, along rivers, under power lines, in short, in all kinds of open public spaces, crops are cultivated and animals like cattle, goats and sheep roam around. What most visitors do not see is that there is even more farming, notably in backyards in the residential areas. People of all socio-economic classes grow food whenever and wherever possible. This paper is based on the four studies that have been carried out thus far on urban farming in Nairobi. By “urban farming”, we mean any farming activity within the city boundaries, including the cultivation of food and cash crops, animal husbandry, forestry and the production of flowers and garden plants.