Publications: Hungry Cities Reports

This report presents the results of the first comprehensive survey of the informal food sector in the Namibian capital of Windhoek. As such, it aims to shed light on the food system of the country’s largest urban centre. The informal food sector is critical to the food security of poor urban households in most rapidly…

This report describes and analyzes the food system of Mexico City’s Metropolitan Zone, where small-scale street commerce has experienced huge growth in recent decades. The food retail, distribution, and preparation sectors are a major component of urban informality in the Global South. The informal food economy comprises a network of informal markets, suppliers, transporters, mobile…

This report presents and analyzes the findings of a city-wide informal food vendors survey conducted by the Hungry Cities Partnership in Nairobi, Kenya. The survey findings demonstrate that the informal food sector makes food more accessible and affordable in low-income areas and to food-insecure households in Nairobi. It is also a major source of employment…

The informal food sector is critical to the food security of poor urban households in rapidly growing towns and cities in the Global South. By working in an interdisciplinary context with mixed methodologies and across different cities, the Hungry Cities Partnership (HCP) aims to add considerably to our understanding of common elements and differences. The…

The informal food sector is critical to the food security of poor urban households in most rapidly growing towns and cities in the Global South. In cities including Kingston, Jamaica, the informal food economy comprises a complex network of suppliers, transporters, hawkers, retailers, and street and market food vendors making food more accessible and affordable,…

The food markets in Maputo, Mozambique, play an integral role in the functioning of the urban food system and provide an abundant food source for the city’s residents. The Hungry Cities Partnership household food security survey found that over 90% of sampled households regularly shop for food at the markets and more than half do…

In cities of the Global South, the informal food economy comprises a dense network of markets, suppliers, transporters, mobile traders, hawkers, retailers, and street food vendors making food more accessible and affordable to consumers. The informal food sector represents an “urban laboratory” for examining how inclusive growth strategies can have a positive impact in encouraging…

The informal food sector – comprising retail, distribution, and preparation of food – is critical to the food security of poor urban households in rapidly growing towns and cities in the Global South. A dense and diverse network of informal markets, suppliers, transporters, mobile traders, hawkers, retailers, and street food vendors makes food more accessible…

This report presents the findings of a household food security survey in Kingston, Jamaica, and bases its analysis on emergent patterns related to various food security measures, spatial and temporal dimensions of food access, perceptions of supermarkets, practices of urban agriculture, and access to social grants. The sampled Kingston households represent a spatially and socially…

This is the first large-scale survey of household food security in Bangalore and aims to provide researchers and policy-makers with detailed data and information about food security in Bangalore, as well as insights into the city’s food system. The survey found very low levels of food insecurity in Bangalore in terms of the availability and…