"In 2015, the Nairobi City County government developed and implemented the Urban Agriculture Promotion and Regulation Act, acknowledging the potential of urban agriculture for food and nutrition security. The Act provides regulation on land and water access, food safety, environment conservation and organic waste management; and includes standards for urban agriculture."

The local City Council did not have an Agriculture Department and farming practices were regulated using prohibitive city regulations, limiting the activity of urban farmers. The lack of a proper act regulating urban farming caused many issues, especially in informal settlements, which lack proper water and sanitation services, along with other concerns in relation to food security, hunger and poverty.

By developing the Urban Agriculture Promotion and Regulation Act, the Nairobi City County provided comprehensive regulatory framework in support of urban agriculture. The nairobi County has also created partnerships with non-governmental organizations engaged in promoting urban agriculture, such as the Mazingira Institute and other parts of civil society including farmers’ organizations, such as the Nairobi and Environs Food Security, Agriculture and Livestock Forum (NEFSALF).

The Act allowed to increase agricultural production through the use of appropriate technologies, ensuring accessibility of resources for actors on an equal basis, and greater access to food by residents. Also, the regulations implemented by the Act contribute to food waste reduction through agricultural waste management such as disposing and recycling waste and promoting the introduction of other waste management technologies.

Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash