In Viwandani, an informal settlement in Nairobi’s industrial area, people suffer from poor nutrition and food insecurity. This also presents a major challenge for the local healthcare system. Biovision is working to build a sustainable and healthy food system that serves both farmers and consumers.
The project creates a direct link between rural farmers and people in informal urban settlements. This supports both income security for farmers and better access to nutritious food for consumers.
Biovision promotes agroecological practices among smallholder families in Makueni County. These methods protect the soil and biodiversity while increasing crop diversity. At the same time, the project aims to raise awareness of healthy diets in Nairobi’s informal settlements to prevent malnutrition and related diseases.
Project name:
Project budget in CHF :
Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT
Diabetes Awareness Trust (DAT)
Feedback to the Future (FttF)
This project is supported by SDC
The project was launched in April 2023. Biovision and its partners are currently conducting baseline data collection. Initial impacts are not yet available.
In Makueni, farmers are trained in agroforestry systems where most plants are edible and contribute to reforestation. They also receive support in business planning and marketing.
A new distribution system ensures that their produce reaches Viwandani. In parallel, Biovision and its partners provide training to local health workers in Viwandani, enabling them to educate families on healthy diets and organize community cooking sessions.
The project also engages local vendors – so-called Mama Mbogas – in workshops to explore collaboration opportunities. Today, people in Viwandani can buy healthy food at small community shops or directly from Mama Mbogas.
