Supply chain mapping and stakeholders' assessment towards the sustainable development goals: The case of the construction sector in the informal settlement of Mathare, Nairobi

Abstract

The UN Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a more sustainable future for all. One of these targets to be tackled by their implementation is the improvement of the livelihood of 1/6 of the global population, housed in unsafe informal settlements. This paper explores the correlation between GOAL11 - Sustainable cities for all - and other aspects of the societies relevant for the achievement of the SDGs -Responsible consumption and production, No poverty, Gender inclusion, Decent work and economic growth - in a mutual and potentially virtuous relationship. The work is based on months of fieldwork conducted in 2018 in the informal settlement of Mathare and in the city of Nairobi, through observation and semi-structured interviews, with the objective of understanding the current productive and economic flows of the construction sector supplying the informal city. From the study, the following statements emerged: a) different final building users (clients) operating in Mathare have access to different building materials, b) the diffusion of materials inside the settlement is strictly related to the access to the shop and to the potential client sites, c) the diffusion of materials inside the settlement is highly impacted by the availability of space both by the supplier store and on the building site, d)tribal division plays a significant role in the distribution of roles in the construction sector. The study shows the relevance of applying a metabolic approach to the city throughout its supply chain in order to understand its ongoing logic prior to a construction intervention. This allows to understand ongoing construction practices, identify gaps and bottlenecks and propose improvement solutions fitting with the ongoing dynamics. The local economy would benefit from such an approach, tailored on its needs and potentials.