The Adaptation Fund Programme in Kenya

About the Programme

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is implementing Adaptation Fund Programme titled “The Integrated Programme to Build Resilience to Climate Change and Adaptive Capacity of Vulnerable communities in Kenya” is a national programme seeking to address climate change impacts and has the following objectives:

i) Enhancing Climate resilient agricultural, agro-forestry, pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems to improve food security in selected Counties in Kenya

ii) Improving climate resilient water management systems to enhance food security in selected Counties in Kenya

iii) Increasing resilience to the effects of rise in sea level and shoreline changes through  Integrated Shoreline and Mangrove Ecosystem Management at Vanga and Gazi in the Coastal region of Kenya. 

iv) Disaster risk reduction among targeted vulnerable communities for climate-related risks in Kenya. 

v) Strengthening institutional capacity, knowledge management, awareness raising and promotion of adaptation mechanisms to improve resilience on climate change to selected vulnerable communities in Kenya.

The programme is running for three years, 2016-2018 and is being implemented by eleven executing entities in fourteen Counties.

About NEMA

NEMA, is the National Implementing Entity (NIE) of the Adaptation Fund for Kenya. NEMA is established to exercise general supervision and coordination over all matters relating to the environment and to be the principal instrument of the Government of Kenya in the implementation of all policies relating to the environment.

Implementation of Kenya’s Adaptation Fund Programme: One year down

The implementation of this programme commenced in 2016 and has achieved significant milestones in each of the five objectives that the programme addresses. 
In line with the first objective, the programme has initiated diversification of livelihoods through the adoption of drought tolerant and high-value crops, increased animal production through promotion of drought-resistant fodder crops, pasture conservation and emergency fodder banks.

To illustrate this in Marsabit County, communities in Waldaa area have been supported to grow butternuts, watermelon, Sudan grass and other vegetables. Efficient irrigation methods have been employed to achieve productivity. The project beneficiaries are now fetching alternative source of income and also have direct source of food in an area that is commonly hit by drought. 

One of the beneficiaries explains; “Before the Waldaa project, I just used to sit at home. The farming has really boosted my spirits. My six children never miss food because as you saw, I just sold 4 watermelons at Ksh.400.

I also plant spinach and kale alongside an onion nursery,” Eleba Galgalo. Apart from supporting the farmers with land, this project also provides farm inputs such as seeds and seedlings, fertilizers, agrochemicals and training on agronomic practices. More benefits include post-harvest management and value addition of the produce.

 “Once the entire farm is put under production, the overall yield will be over 3,000 metric tons of food being grown on this farm, which will be a phenomenon,” Dr. Gullet, the Secretary-General of the Executing Entity (KRCS) added. Related food security interventions are proposed milk cooling plant in Emali, fish cooling storage in Masinga and a fruit processing plant in lower eastern region.Other counties with food security interventions are, Kisumu,Kwale, Mombasa, Homa Bay, and Laikipia.

(From left) The NEMA NIE coordinator Ms Wangare Kirumba and the KRCS Secretary General Mr. Abbas Gullet accompanied by other officials sampling some of the Watermelons that were harvested under drip irrigation in Waldaa, Marsabit County.

On water management which is the second objective, this programme seeks to improve climate resilient water management systems to enhance food security. To realize this objective, appropriate physical assets and infrastructure for water harvesting, storage and irrigation are being established which include roof catchments and water pans. For instance, in Taita Taveta, Kilifi and Kwale counties, schools have been selected to benefit from rainwater harvesting and storage facilities.

In Laikipia, a water intake along Thome River is due for construction which will be transported through a 300mm wide pipe over a distance covering 9.348km to provide water to households in Thome area.

In Kajiado County, installation of micro irrigation kits for kitchen gardens has been implemented as other water harvesting structures are underway.

Site for rainwater catchment and proposed water pan in Kilifi County.

Other targeted areas: Laikipia, Kajiado, Kisumu, Wajir, Kiambu, Meru, Kitui, Machakos, Kwale, Kilifi, TaitaTaveta, Mombasa, Lamu, Tana River and Garissa.
The third objective of the programme focuses on coastal marine management, it is set to increase resilience to the effects of sea level rise and shoreline changes in the Kenyan coastal zone.

Established mangrove tree nurseries at the coastal shore in Kwale County

Towards this objective, communities in Kwale have been assisted to establish mangrove tree nurseries that will rehabilitate mangrove ecosystems, protect coral reefs, erosion and accretion control in Vanga and Gazi areas.

This project is being implemented through Integrated Shoreline and Mangrove Ecosystem Management (ISMEM) and will also include setting up of an inventory and GIS database for the shoreline and mangrove ecosystems.

A canal for DRR at Obuge site in Kisumu

On disaster risk reduction, this programme is designed to increase the level of preparedness of communities in along Nyando, Awach and Ombeyi rivers in Kisumu County. Establishment of flood and drought adaptation measures on selected sites has commenced, and early warning systems will be established and implemented.

Case in point, along river Nyando, unblocking of dykes, planting of bamboos and digging of canals has been effectively put to practice.On disaster risk reduction, this programme is designed to increase the level of preparedness of communities in along Nyando, Awach and Ombeyi rivers in Kisumu County. Establishment of flood and drought adaptation measures on selected sites has commenced, and early warning systems will be established and implemented. Case in point, along river Nyando, unblocking of dykes, planting of bamboos and digging of canals has been effectively put to practice.

The other objective of this programme is to strengthen capacity on programme implementation. Towards this NEMA in its role as the NIE has trained the executing entities on financial management, procurement processes, and implementation of the Environment and social policy of the Adaptation Fund. Further NEMA has sustained periodic monitoring and financial auditing of the implementation of the programme.

Knowledge management has been strengthened and EEs have been sharing experiences about their different projects.  NEMA is optimistic that, come the end of the three-year project period, the target communities shall not only have been able to embrace and benefit fully from the interventions of this programme, but will also have their inherent community driven and community-owned adaptive capacities enhanced.