Working with Informality for Food Systems Transformation

The informal economy is a critical foundation for urban and rural resilience and livelihoods, providing income and food access for millions in low- and middle-income countries. Globally, 60 per cent of workers—more than 2 billion people—are employed informally, particularly in agriculture and food trading.  Across the African continent, 84 per cent of employment is informal—a share set to grow with rapid urbanization and population growth in sub-Saharan Africa.

Informality is not a temporary phase. It is here to stay. Yet its vital contributions to food security and community resilience often remain unrecognized and undervalued.

In the informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya, for example, households purchase over 95 per cent of their food from informal vendors—without whom food access would be extremely limited. Beyond food supply, community-led grassroots initiatives—such as vendors’ associations and community kitchens—provide vital safety nets, offering forms of social protection where formal systems are absent or inadequate. These solutions emerge from the lived knowledge of informal actors, who develop practical, locally rooted responses shaped by community needs. In times of crisis, people living in contexts of informality do not wait for aid. They innovate, self-organize, and lead.

In the current era of global polycrisis—where climate change, political instability, economic shocks, and global health emergencies collide—the role of the informal economy as a cornerstone of resilience and food security becomes ever more essential. Yet many governments continue to reinforce the formalization paradigm, pushing informal workers further into the margins of society. This must change. Rather than treating formalization as a prerequisite for support, policymakers must develop regulations, investments, and protections that align with the (often informal) realities of how people live and work.  

The stakes are high. Today, less than a fifth of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track—and in regions most vulnerable to the impacts of the global polycrisis, extreme poverty and hunger are worsening. To break through this stagnation, especially on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), we must work with the informal economy as a powerful driver of sustainable development and food systems transformation.

Building sustainable and equitable food systems demands that we value the informal economy as a vital partner—an indispensable co-creator **in the progressive realization of the right to food. ** 

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TMG's work is rooted in the belief that working with informality is a powerful catalyst for resilient, sustainable, and equitable food systems transformation and achieving the right to food for all. We seek to work with informal actors to support and strengthen what is already working to address urgent challenges in food access and urban livelihoods. 

Central to our methodology is participatory action research, which collaborates with communities as co-researchers and decision-makers. In Mukuru, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, we collaborated with local organisations and community members to design a school meal programme model that balanced affordability, nutrition, and ownership. We also supported the formation of food vendor associations in Mukuru, helping build their operational capacity and facilitating dialogues with local government. In Mathare, another settlement in Nairobi, we worked with women-run eateries to document their critical contributions as food providers and social safety nets. And in Cape Town, South Africa, we co-developed innovative models with community kitchens to ensure their long-term sustainability. 

**Across these efforts, we take a rights-based and bottom-up approach, centring community ownership, fostering self-organisation, and bridging gaps between informal actors and policymakers. **