Food Farmacy Initiative — Building healthy communities through agroecology and nutrition advisory in Murang'a County. Project duration: September 2025 to June 2029. Co-funded by the Biovision Foundation (64%) and the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Africa (SAF-A) (36%), with anticipated in-kind support from the Murang'a County Government.
Context: Murang'a faces intertwined challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition and rising NCDs, while unsustainable farming practices and limited dietary diversity restrict access to nutritious foods. The Food Farmacy model links health and food systems, bringing agroecological and organic produce closer to households while strengthening local markets and nutrition advisory services.
The project: Establishes a consumer-centred "Food Farmacy" model that connects communities to safe, diverse and affordable agroecological foods alongside practical nutrition guidance; mobilises local food systems — from small-scale producers to vendors and public institutions — to ensure consistent, traceable supply of herbs, spices and indigenous/traditional vegetables; strengthens county platforms and policy implementation so that consumer voices, health priorities and market development are embedded in Murang'a's agroecology agenda; and shares learning across counties and nationally to inspire replication.
Expected outcomes: Informed consumers making healthier dietary choices; better care and nutrition advice (focus on parents of under-5s and people living with NCDs); stronger market linkages with reliable supply chains and new agroecological/organic market connections; and policy into practice via an active Murang'a Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP).
Sustainability: County ownership and integration of Food Farmacies into county systems and partner strategies, strengthened producer-vendor networks, documented best practices, and inter-county exchanges (e.g. Busia, Bungoma) and national advocacy to support replication and scale.
Source: https://diabetesawarenesstrust.org/food-farmacy-initiative/ (contact info@diabetesawarenesstrust.org).