The Government of Kenya is set to receive $50 million in funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to enhance climate-resilient and low-carbon agricultural practices in the Lake Region Economic Bloc. This project, aimed at benefiting over 2.7 million people, was officially announced during the 41st GCF Board meeting in Songdo, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
The funding will be used to support smallholder farmers and producer cooperatives in the region, which are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The initiative targets six key agricultural value chains: dairy, poultry, coffee, tea, fruit trees, and African leafy vegetables. These sectors will be equipped with climate-smart technologies and practices, improving productivity, market access, and overall incomes for the farmers.
A delegation from the Kenyan Government, led by Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury John Mbadi, participated in the signing ceremony of this important project. In his remarks, Mbadi highlighted the vulnerability of Kenya’s agriculture sector to climate change, emphasizing that smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, are crucial in addressing climate challenges.
“We are fully committed to supporting the FAO’s Green Climate Fund program to build resilience in the Lake Region Economic Bloc’s agricultural sector,” Mbadi stated, reiterating the government’s dedication to the successful implementation of the project.
The initiative will provide training and support to over 143,000 farmers, enabling them to adopt sustainable practices that not only boost production but also enhance their climate resilience. This collaboration, involving the Government of Kenya, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Agriterra, and the Government of Denmark, aims to improve both the agricultural value chains and the livelihoods of those most affected by climate-related challenges.
Henry Gonzalez, Chief Investment Officer of the GCF, noted that the project would “support smallholder farmers in Kenya in protecting their livelihoods against climate risk.” He further emphasized that GCF’s investment would strengthen agricultural value chains and increase the community’s resilience to climate-related challenges.
Since the beginning of their partnership in 2016, the GCF and FAO have been scaling up investments in high-impact agricultural projects, aiming to make sectors like agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more efficient, sustainable, and resilient to climate change.
This new initiative marks a significant step towards securing a more climate-resilient future for the farmers of the Lake Region Economic Bloc, enabling them to not only survive but thrive in the face of ongoing climate challenges.
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