Feeding cities and migration settlements - the Kibera case

Why was this project started?

This is a so-called "Kennis Basis" project, which targets investments in selected core research topics for Wageningen University and Research (WUR) supported by the Dutch Ministry (LNV). The implementation part is done because we just saw how to possibly create huge impacts by relatively little investments based on workshop dialogues with community stakeholders in Kenya in an aquaculture project (3RKenya), and a research visit to Kibera conducting a series of in-depth interviews to gather an overview of the livelihood challenges. In having a clear vision to create impacts for the most vulnerable by setting up viable new fish food systems, with clear local ownership and focusing on solving core bottlenecks, the cooperation lead to a new fish food system set up between Nyeri and Kibera (between two di-connected area, including two tribes often in conflict during election time), and it has shown it is all very possible.

The results of the project so far

A new fish food value-chain has been set up between Nyeri County, including a total of 1000 fish farmers, and the Kibera (including a total of 56 fish vendors, i.e. women preparing the fish before selling it to consumers in Kibera). In setting up such new fish food system, a lot of the SDGs are targeted simultaneously (see above) . This is thus a best practice example that we very much would like to share to others.

What are specific, distinctive, strong elements in this project?

This project has successfully: 1) ensured local ownership, 2) worked with the informal sector to gather huge impacts on food security, 3) established enhanced work opportunities for 1000 fish farmers and 56 fish vendors, 4) contributed to viability and responsibilities in the fish food system, 5) contributed to affordable and accessible nutritious protein to people who need this the very most, 6) established a basis for which scaling is possible and new investments can boost further developments.

Which specific lessons, do's and don'ts would you like to share? What would be suggestions for others when preparing or implementing the project in their own city?

This is a best practice case because we did: 1) see results only as research but as implementation combined, 2) only include the public sector stakeholders when their role and contribution potential was very clear, 3) focus on trust as a measure to governance (not formality), 4) understand the core bottlenecks by mutual learning and contribution between the different partners, 5) ensure local ownership implying that every day problem was solved by the local owners as they appeared.

Have others adopted, or shown interest in adopting, your idea in their own area?

It is very interesting for others, given the huge impacts on vulnerable food insecure groups, which often is not obtained in other projects. New investments on research on the informal sectors in developing countries are brought forward as a strategy to ensure such impacts in future projects.