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Over 85% of Kibera's population, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, is food insecure. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions, such as sack gardens, have the potential to diversify diets-in turn, improving household food security and diet quality. Furthermore, the sale of extra vegetables may provide an income for program participants.The aim of this paper was to conduct a feasibility assessment and preliminary impact assessment of a nutrition-sensitive urban agriculture intervention that used sack gardens for women in Kibera.Women, from a women's empowerment program, in Kibera (Key barriers included insufficient inputs and group work difficulties, particularly around communication. Facilitators included positive intervention feedback, social bonds and teamwork, participants' self-sufficiency, and preference for sack garden vegetables over market vegetables. Post-intervention, participants reported reduced household food insecurity. Recommendations for program scale-up include investment in additional inputs, a water-collection/irrigation system, additional training, and placing sack gardens closer to women's homes to reduce time constraints.This study suggests that sack gardens may provide partial solutions to improve diet quality; however, further research is needed to assess any impact on household income. |
