From hobby to lifeline: How gardening is becoming a path to food security and resilience

What was once seen as a weekend pastime or a break from the digital world has evolved into something far more urgent and necessary.

Gardening, long dismissed as a hobby, is now emerging as a survival tool — a lifeline — amid rising economic instability, food insecurity, and the unpredictable effects of climate change.

In cities from Nairobi to New York, more individuals and families are turning to gardening—not for leisure, but to regain control over their food, health, and future.

With supply chains faltering, inflation climbing, and the cost of living reaching new heights, growing your own food has never been more relevant.

In a time when basic groceries are beginning to feel like luxury items, and when even organic produce is increasingly suspect due to the silent rise of GMOs, a small patch of tomatoes or a row of spinach — whether on a balcony or backyard — is no longer considered ushamba (outdated or rural).

It is power. It is a form of resistance, a reclamation of self-reliance in a system that often sidelines the average consumer.

What was once mocked as backwards is proving to be one of the smartest and most resilient moves — a return to the roots that sustain us.

Seeds of urgency: From hobby to necessity

The shift began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when panic buying emptied supermarket shelves and global distribution systems buckled under pressure. It was a wake-up call for many — a moment that revealed just how fragile the modern food supply chain truly is.

For the first time, people realised that the foods they depend on, whether from vibandas or supermarkets, could vanish overnight. This spurred a renewed interest in growing food, not as a hobby, but as a form of food security and quiet rebellion.

In Kenya, this change came with a cultural reckoning. Small-scale farming has always been praised, but modern generations have often shunned it, especially youth who view agriculture as “ushamba.” Fast food, supermarkets, and imported goods became symbols of progress and status.

“There’s a strange pride in choosing shelf-life over soil,” says Sarah Nduta, a farmer in Murang’a.

“We’ve been conditioned to associate convenience and foreign branding with status. But we’ve been walking away from our own wealth, nutrient-rich, chemical-free food grown just meters from our kitchens. What is sad is that it is happening even in the rural areas, people prefer packaged ugali flour over the one that they get from their own shamba.”

This attitude has made younger generations hesitant to embrace farming. Yet ironically, it is home gardening that now presents a practical solution to rising food costs, poor nutrition, and overdependence on vulnerable supply systems. What was once labelled “backwards” is proving to be forward-thinking, resilient, and revolutionary.

Adapting to climate shocks

As the years have passed, new layers have emerged. Climate change is disrupting weather cycles, droughts are followed by floods, and global food exports are strained by geopolitical conflicts.

In Kenya, where many households — rural and urban — are already food insecure, small-scale gardening has become a crucial buffer. Dr Wanjiku Kamau, a Nairobi-based food systems expert, believes gardening is no longer optional.

"We have to go back to our roots, every tomato you grow, every sukuma wiki you plant, is one less item you need to buy and one more step toward independence, because you know exactly what you are eating and it gives you that sense of security,” she said in an interview with The Eastleigh Voice.

“It’s more than a call to plant vegetables, it’s a call to reclaim autonomy in a system that has slowly taught people to rely on shelves, not soil.”

For Kamau, the return to home-grown food challenges Kenya’s glamorization of imported goods and convenience culture.

“When we grow our own food, we’re not just feeding our stomachs, we're feeding a mindset of resilience,” she adds.

“It means we’re not at the mercy of rising prices, supermarket shortages, or hidden chemicals. It means we trust our land again, and in doing so, we trust ourselves. This is something that is slowly dying with every passing day.”

Independence, she says, isn’t just about income or access — it’s about control over what we eat and how we live. In today’s economy, growing even one tomato can be a quiet act of defiance and hope.

Urban gardening: Gold in the soil, even without land

A tomato seedling costing under 20 shillings can yield several kilos of fruit in a season. The same goes for greens, herbs, onions, and even root vegetables.

Dr Elizabeth Kimani-Murage of the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) advocates for urban residents to embrace eco-friendly farming.

“It is high time we started implementing environment-friendly farming techniques and agricultural practices that improve soil and water health and help restore biodiversity,” she said during a recent sustainability forum.

She pointed to agroecological urban farming as key to reviving Nairobi’s lost green spaces and water sources.

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• From hobby to lifeline: How gardening is becoming a path to food security and resilience
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“It is time to restore Nairobi to a place of cool waters,” she said. “We need conservative agriculture that avoids the use of chemicals. Not only is this safer for humans, but it also supports animal life and the wider ecosystem.”

Even in high-rise buildings, space doesn’t have to be a limitation. Sacks, wooden pallets, buckets, and balcony planters are reshaping how people grow food in urban environments.

“Food has increasingly become a commodity in Nairobi,” said Kimani-Murage.

“What was once accessible and community-shared is now heavily commercialised, making it harder for low-income families to afford nutritious meals.”

Kimberly Otieno, a mother of four in Ruiru, has turned a small corner of her compound into a productive kitchen garden.

“We used to spend nearly Sh3,000 every week on vegetables alone,” she says. “Now, I just pick them fresh every morning. It’s healthy and it saves money. In fact, that was my goal when I moved into my own compound from an apartment, I wanted to have enough for my family, and rare some chickens too.”

Even without land, others are adapting with creative setups like vertical gardens, recycled jerrycans, and wall planters. Some youths have turned this into a business — selling seedlings, compost, or small harvests to their neighbours.

Health, healing and resistance

Beyond saving money, gardening offers major health benefits. As rates of lifestyle diseases like hypertension and diabetes rise, especially in urban areas, the need for fresh, chemical-free food is more urgent than ever.

“When you grow your own food, you know exactly what’s going into it,” says Kamau.

“There’s no fear of harmful chemicals or preservatives. Plus, gardening itself is therapeutic. It reduces stress, keeps you active, and connects you with nature.”

Studies have linked gardening to better sleep, reduced stress hormones, and improved mental health. In a world battling burnout and digital overload, tending to plants provides calm, focus, and connection.

For some, gardening is also a form of resistance — a way to challenge food monopolies, resist processed diets, and reclaim indigenous farming knowledge. Across Africa, young people are reintroducing native crops like amaranth, millet, and cassava, while saving heirloom seeds.

“It’s about food sovereignty,” says Karin Abdi, a 23-year-old student and gardener.

“When you can grow your own food, you’re less vulnerable to market shocks, to government policies, or to international trade dynamics. You reclaim power, one plant at a time.”

She has turned her small balcony into a herb and greens garden.

“At the end of the day, I have food for one, straight from my balcony. Hopefully, one day I will get a land and plant crops and thrive there with my family.”

A seed of hope in uncertain times

At its core, gardening is profoundly human. It teaches patience, rewards effort, and fosters care. In a fast, unstable world, planting a seed and watching it grow is an act of faith — and of hope.

Because today, more than ever, growing your own food is not just a hobby. It is survival. It is healing. It is gold.