GAIN Convening Paper n°22: Shared Learning, Inspired Action: Insights From Global Exchanges on Strengthening Urban Food Markets

GAIN Convening Paper n°22: Shared Learning, Inspired Action: Insights From Global Exchanges on Strengthening Urban Food Markets

- 13/02/2026

To strengthen evidence and practice about local fresh food markets and food systems governance, in 2025, ICLEI CityFood, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and World Farmers Markets Coalition published two editions of a handbook about markets and resilient cities. The second edition comprises 31 city-market case studies and is structured around the CityFood Market Action Framework. Between May and December 2025, following the launch of the first edition, ICLEI CityFood and GAIN co-convened eight online sessions of a Community of Interest focused on markets and cities. The sessions were structured around four thematic areas: an introduction to how cities shape food markets; gender and social intersectionality; managing food waste; and access to nutrition. Across all eight sessions, a total of 327 participants from 27 cities and 56 organisations took part. This paper shares a summary of those prior sessions and signposts upcoming sessions
GAIN Working Paper n°62: Alternative Sources to Improve Sustainability and Resilience of Tempeh Supply Chains

GAIN Working Paper n°62: Alternative Sources to Improve Sustainability and Resilience of Tempeh Supply Chains

- 13/02/2026

Tempeh is a popular traditional plant-based protein that plays a vital role in Indonesian diets. Indonesia’s reliance on imported soybeans (2.6 million tons/year) for tempeh production, however, creates market instability and food vulnerabilities, particularly regarding cost and supply fluctuations. This paper analyses the technical, economic, and market feasibility of alternative legumes—specifically, jack beans, mung beans, and peanuts—as sustainable substitutes for soybeans in tempeh production. The aim is to identify the most viable option for immediate scale-up to support local food systems and improve nutritional outcomes.
GAIN Working Paper n°61: Small fish: An Untapped Opportunity for Improving Nutrition

GAIN Working Paper n°61: Small fish: An Untapped Opportunity for Improving Nutrition

- 06/02/2026

Fish offer a potentially sustainable solution to food security and nutrition challenges in Indonesia. Despite abundant aquatic resources, per capita fish consumption remains lower than in neighbouring countries. Factors such as overfishing, pollution, and unsustainable aquaculture practices limit growth, while climate change poses additional threats to fish stocks.
I-CAN Policy Brief: Unlocking Kenya’s Potential for Health, Resilience, and Inclusive Growth

I-CAN Policy Brief: Unlocking Kenya’s Potential for Health, Resilience, and Inclusive Growth

- 06/02/2026

Climate change and malnutrition are deeply intertwined challenges in Kenya, where climate related shocks continue to threaten food systems, health services, and vulnerable populations. This policy brief summarizes f indings f rom a rapid assessment of 27 national policies and key stakeholder interviews, conducted to support the I-CAN initiative. The analysis reveals uneven climate–nutrition integration across sectors, with strong implementation f rameworks in some policies but persistent gaps in coordination, data systems, and f inancing. Overreliance on donor funding, limited engagement of diverse stakeholders, and underutilized governance structures further hinder progress. At the same time, there are clear opportunities to strengthen policy alignment, institutional reform, cross-sector collaboration, and stakeholder inclusion to build a more resilient and nutrition-secure Kenya.
Pakistan Climate – Nutrition Integration Assessment

Pakistan Climate – Nutrition Integration Assessment

- 02/02/2026

Pakistan faces a dual crisis of climate change and malnutrition, with floods, droughts, and other climate shocks driving some of the world’s highest rates of child stunting (over 40%) and wasting (around 18%). Most climate and nutrition policies operate in silos, offering limited integrated action, while regions like Sindh and Balochistan face the greatest vulnerabilities. Integrating nutrition into climate adaptation—such as promoting climate-resilient, nutrient-rich crops—can deliver “win-win” outcomes, but urgent, coordinated action from policymakers, donors, and civil society is needed to protect the most at-risk populations.
Climate and Nutrition Integration: Evidence Generation, Stakeholder Mapping, and Policy Landscape Analysis in Nigeria

Climate and Nutrition Integration: Evidence Generation, Stakeholder Mapping, and Policy Landscape Analysis in Nigeria

- 02/02/2026

Nigeria faces a dual crisis of rising food insecurity and worsening climate impacts. By 2025, an estimated 33.1 million Nigerians are expected to be food insecure, with around 35% of children under five stunted, especially in the north. Ranked 110th of 127 countries on the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria’s challenges are driven by economic, environmental, and nutritional factors. GAIN engaged Sawubon Advisory Services to generate insights on the climate–nutrition nexus, supporting the integration of climate and nutrition into policies and programs. Climate change—rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather—has already reduced agricultural productivity, and by 2080, yields of millet and sorghum in northern Nigeria could fall 13–20%. With over 80% of agriculture rain-dependent, these trends threaten sustainable food production and nutrition outcomes.