Funding & Support

The Food Farmacy project is co-funded through a collaborative model: Biovision Foundation (64%) and Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Africa (SAF-A) (36%).

In-kind support is anticipated from Murang’a County Government (e.g., staff time, space for Food Farmacies, regulatory backing and infrastructure).

Why this matters

Murang’a faces intertwined challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition, and rising NCDs. At the same time, unsustainable farming practices and limited dietary diversity restrict access to nutritious foods. The Food Farmacy model tackles these barriers by linking health and food systems—bringing agroecological and organic produce closer to households while strengthening local markets and advisory services.

What the project does (in brief)

• Establishes a consumer-centered “Food Farmacy” model that connects communities to safe, diverse, and affordable agroecological foods alongside practical nutrition guidance.
• Mobilizes 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 agroecology agenda.
• Shares learning across counties and nationally to inspire replication and scale.

Outcomes

• Informed Consumers: Improved knowledge and awareness lead to healthier dietary choices and better use of diverse, safe foods.
• Better Care & Advice: Enhanced nutrition advisory and quality of care for patients (with focus on parents of under-5s and people living with NCDs).
• Stronger Market Linkages: Reliable, year-round supply chains and new market connections for agroecological and organic produce.
• Policy into Practice: More effective implementation of Murang’a agroecology policy via an active Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP), with learnings shared inter-county and nationally.

How we work

• Inclusive & evidence-informed: Co-designed with county departments and MSP actors; guided by ongoing monitoring, consumer insights, and market intelligence.
• Gender & equity mainstreamed: Equal participation and benefits for women, men, youth, and vulnerable groups; decisions informed by gender analysis and disaggregated data.
• Health–food systems integration: Practical nutrition advisory linked to real access to safe foods—closing the gap between what people are told to eat and what is available and affordable.

Sustainability & Scale

The project is built for county ownership and longevity: integrating Food Farmacies into county systems and partner strategies; strengthening producer–vendor networks; documenting best practices; and facilitating policy, budget, and market pathways that continue beyond the grant period. Inter-county exchanges (e.g., Busia, Bungoma) and national advocacy will support replication and scale of the Food Farmacy approach.

For more information, contact info@diabetesawarenesstrust.org