Reclaiming Urban Spaces for Food Security – SDG 2 in Motion!

Across many cities in the Global South, a troubling paradox persists: while urban populations grow rapidly, access to fresh, nutritious food becomes increasingly out of reach, particularly for low-income communities. In Lagos, Nigeria, where over 68% of residents live in informal settlements, market dependency, rising food prices, and post-harvest losses (which account for over 40% of food waste) combine to deepen urban inequality.

Meanwhile, rooftops, backyards, and vacant plots lie idle, full of possibilities.

CADEF’s GreenShare project proposes a practical and replicable response: reclaim these underutilised spaces to grow food locally, build climate-smart habits, and foster shared ownership of the environment. The project will:

• Establish 20 household gardens and 1 community farm in informal or low-income neighbourhoods.
  
• Provide training in organic agriculture, composting, and water-saving practices
  
• Focus on vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and retirees to foster long-term inclusion and ownership
  

We are proud to announce that this innovative project has been awarded partial funding by the Green Action Week campaign, hosted by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) and coordinated by Consumers International. The funding pool is highly competitive—only 26 grants were awarded globally in the last cycle—making this a significant endorsement of the GreenShare model.

GreenShare aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger by promoting food security, encouraging subsistence agriculture, and building resilient food systems within low-income urban communities.

This initiative is not just about growing vegetables—it’s about empowering people to take control of their nutrition, livelihoods, and environment, one garden at a time.

However, with just half of the original budget covered, there remains a critical opportunity for co-funders, development agencies, and private sector partners to support the full delivery of this high-impact initiative.

The essence of this project is further compressed into 3 cardinal points:

• Improves food security through subsistence gardening
  
• Reduces carbon emissions by shortening supply chains
  
• Strengthens community ties through shared learning and events

Partner with us in creating a Lagos free of hunger by 2030. 

Visit the Green Action Week official guide