Consultancy: Design Of The Food Hives Programme For The Informal Settlements Of Nairobi at Oxfam

Introduction

SecondMuse is a group of people working vigorously to better the world. It is doing this by putting people first, and boldly challenging itself to find solutions to complex issues and fearlessly introducing new ideas that may seem impossible at times. As an impact and innovation company, it has inclusive and mandate diversity in every program it pioneers — because it believes that diversity is absolutely vital in enabling innovative solutions. The organization also believes that resolutions to inequality and injustices are waiting to be found. Every day it sees talent, intellect, passion, and energy invested in developing some of the greatest inventions and technology that has and will continue to change humanity.

Building on the insights from the Food Systems Vision Prize, Oxfam’s first-hand experience, and data indicating urban populations will increase to between 70 - 80% of the entire global population by 2050, SecondMuse and Oxfam came together to create the Urban Food Hives Initiative to address the systemic economic, gender and climate related inequalities and challenges in global food systems. Our challenge is to build a future food system capable of nourishing people in an era of increased risk, from climate shocks to conflict to growing inequality. The joint initiative will leverage Oxfam’s presence and capabilities in food policy, addressing inequality and advancing gender and climate justice in over 60 countries, and SecondMuse’s design and programming expertise in creating regional entrepreneurial ecosystems across the globe. Together, the two organizations will support individuals and communities to live up to their highest potential to co-create a more regenerative and equitable future. This initiative will build on the Food System Vision Prize funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. SecondMuse and Oxfam are partnering to capitalize on the hundreds of other innovative submissions from entrepreneurs and visionaries around the world.

Oxfam in Kenya’s vision of the food hives is to have a transformative, inclusive and sustainable food system where women and youth are represented in, have access to equal opportunities across the food systems value chains; earn a decent living and households in the informal settlements of Nairobi have a sustained access to affordable and sufficient nutritious foods. The project will be built on the gains made in the Urban Early Warning and Early Action pilot project which was focusing on monitoring and responding to food security situation in the informal settlements of Nairobi through county government led mechanisms. To achieve the vision, the project will focus on the following across the Food Systems Value chains: -

• Entrepreneur Support: The project will work towards strengthening the capacity of socially and environmentally focused women and youth food entrepreneurs across the value chain to improve their access to financial and business advisory services, strengthen their skills, and have improved incomes and assets. The project will also promote equitable market access and strengthen women led/owned and youth led/owned small and medium size enterprises across the food systems value chains.
• WORKFORCE: We will leverage on our partnerships with academic institutions to collaborate with workforce to support students, in particular young girls, youth, and other marginalized groups, and propel them into socially and environmentally responsible food careers through education, work experiences, and community building.
• POLICY: Partner with the National and County government of Nairobi to shape institutional, policy reform and support for sustainable food systems for urban and peri urban areas through strengthening government capacity, understanding and relationships required to inform supportive policies and initiatives for urban food producers and other actors.

The primary objective of the consultancy is to manage a consultative programme design process involving multiple stakeholders and to produce a comprehensive final project proposal, results framework, theory of change, budget and a brief report on the outcome of the exercise.