Climate Adaptation

Why Kenya needs integrated projects for climate resilience and adaptability

By Peter Musa

H.E. President William Ruto addressing the COP 27 meeting on behalf of the african group and kenya at the 27th conference of parties (cop 27) to the united nations framework convention on climate change UNFCCC. PHOTO | PCS

Kenya and the East African countries will only be close to meeting their climate action obligations if they look for solutions through the lens of the “little things” affecting ordinary people within their economic environment where they earn a living and then put in resources to address them.

The national governments in the region are obligated to pitch for logistical and financial support to address climate change in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, often affected by a spiral of adverse weather conditions such as floods from sporadic torrential rains, drought, hunger, malnutrition and resources’ related community conflicts.

But researchers in community development now warn of an “obstructive” poor connection between what science has discovered and the policymakers and implementers in public sectors, whom they deem to be a hindrance in addressing climate effects at the grassroots level.

Prof Cecilia Onyango of the University of Nairobi’s Department of Plant, Science and Crop Protection gives the example of smallholder farmers left alone without field advisers on quality food production and better farm management due to climate change.

“Climate adaptation means equipping grassroots communities with knowledge and skills on how to protect the environment as they produce more to meet the demand in the market. But if the public sector does not play its role in the knowledge transfer, the resilience on climate change through climate adaptable day-to-day practices will be compromised,” she explains.

Dr Philip Osano, director of Stockholm Environment Institute Africa Centre, which focuses on research and policy, says that farmers and producers need “centres of knowledge” near them to access information online or share their knowledge with researchers without straining their time and resources. This is the way to go on climate adaptation methods within agricultural practices and during product processing, consequently safeguarding dwindling resources such as land and environment against climate change effects for food systems sustainability.