Abstract Rapid urbanization in African cities has intensified pressure on urban food systems, increasing dependence on informal food production and livelihood strategies. This study examines the role of rural–urban migrant farmers in enhancing food security in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, focusing on farming practices, contributions to food security, and the institutional challenges shaping urban agriculture. The study employed a qualitative case study design in Ilala Municipality, drawing on semi‐structured interviews with 31 migrant farmers, seven key informant interviews, and field observations. Findings reveal that migrant farmers engage in diverse crop cultivation and livestock keeping across backyards, river valleys, rented plots, and container gardens, relying heavily on agrarian knowledge acquired prior to migration. Migrant farmers contribute to household food availability through direct food production and strengthen food accessibility through income generated from surplus sales. Practices such as irrigation, mixed farming, diversification, and seasonal adaptation also help some households maintain food stability during periods of flooding, drought, and rising food prices. However, migrant farmers face major constraints, including insecure land tenure, flooding, water scarcity, high input costs, and limited institutional support. The findings further show that city authorities continue to treat urban agriculture as an informal and temporary activity that conflicts with planning and environmental priorities, thereby institutionalizing the marginalization of migrant farmers despite their contributions to urban food security. The study concludes that migrant farmers play a critical but insufficiently recognized role in sustaining urban food systems in Dar es Salaam and calls for more inclusive urban food and planning policies.
Kapinga et al. (Thu,) studied this question.