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Vendors in African informal settlements play vital but overlooked roles in alleviating food insecurity. Many vendors are women selling affordable food to their fellow residents.

Using participatory research, we offer a gender-sensitive analysis of how food vending intersects with environmental hazards, insecurity, and governmental neglect in Nairobi’s informal settlements. We argue that improving food security must form part of a wider set of upgrading initiatives to promote jobs, community safety, and political empowerment. Food vendors in informal settlements are a key entry-point for such interventions. By nourishing and recognising these livelihoods, vendors can lead the way towards equitable food systems.