Struggling Against Climate Change in Kenya: A Country’s Fight towards Environmental Viability
By Rodgers Ekaptain
As the sun rises over Kenya’s vast northern plains, the landscape is far different from the past. The previously great Maasai Mara, so rich in foliage and fauna, now bears witness to signs of distress. The productive earth once full of plenty is succumbing to the searing heat as well as the increasingly erratic rainfall patterns brought about by climate change. To the people of Kenya, these changes are no longer distant warnings but an inescapable reality that is revolutionizing their day-to-day life.
Climate change is now an unavoidable threat to the environment, economy, and way of life of Kenya. The country in East Africa with a predominantly agricultural economy is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions such as prolonged droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. These changes are imposing unprecedented pressure on sectors like agriculture, which has over 70% of the country’s workforce and is vital to the nation’s economy. As weather patterns become more erratic, the livelihood of millions of Kenyans is threatened, aggravating food insecurity, water shortages, and loss of species diversity.
Kenya’s Struggle with Climate Change: A Real-World Crisis
Kenya’s climate exposure is shown in the situation of smallholder farmers living in rural Kenya, who rely on rain-fed farming to plant food crops like maize, beans, and coffee. They have relied on the reliability of the rainy seasons to plant food for decades, but now the rainy seasons have become much less predictable and unreliable.
The same applies in other counties such as Nyeri, a typically fertile area in the middle of Kenya. Farmer Mary Wambui explains how the rains failing in 2022 destroyed her maize harvest. “It is no longer about planting and waiting for rain. Even if we plant, we do not know if the rains will come,” she says. “Our farmers are caught in a cycle of hope and despair. We no longer know when the rains will arrive.”
This new climate is not only hurting local farmers but also Kenya’s vital export crops, such as tea and coffee. The shifting climate has reduced the yield of these crops, which have been a backbone of Kenya’s economy for decades. As suggested by the Kenya Climate Change Working Group, agriculture experienced a 20-30% loss of productivity over the decade as a result of climate change, something of a worry in a nation where agriculture contributes to some 26% of the GDP.
The Government’s Response: Policy, Innovation, and Adaptation
Despite the critical state of affairs, Kenya has come quite far in responding to climate change through national policy, renewable technology, and people’s conservation. The Kenyan government has instituted several programs designed to reduce green gas emissions as well as adapt the nation for climate resilience. Among the most notable is the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP), which recommends how to incorporate climate adaptation in agriculture, water management, and infrastructure.
The second key focus is climate-smart agriculture where drought-tolerant varieties, water harvesting, conservation agriculture, and agroforestry are being applied. The government, in collaboration with international organizations and domestic non-governmental organizations (NGOs), is encouraging farmers by making sustainable methods accessible and encouraging the application of technology. A case in point is that the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) is conducting research on drought-tolerant maize and promotion of early-warning systems in a bid to enable farmers to prepare for weather extremes.
“Farmers need more than seeds. They need to be equipped with knowledge and tools that allow them to adjust their work to the new climate,” thinks Dr. John Kabuye, a climatology expert at KALRO. “By enhancing water management, climate-tolerant crops, and better weather data, we can start seeing the effects of climate change being mitigated.”
In terms of energy, Kenya has been a role model for production of renewable energy, having heavily invested in wind power, geothermal power, and solar power. It is, for instance, Africa’s top geothermal producer and generating more than 80% of its electricity from renewables. The power not only offers a means of clean and secure power supply but also contributes to a reduction in the dependence on fossil fuel resources, contribution of which serves the cause of the war on climate change at a global scale.
Kenya’s transition to clean energy is also traced through the introduction of the Kenya Green Bond Program, which raised significant funds to finance projects as regards climate change adaptation and mitigation. The investments are funneled into clean energy projects, water conservation initiatives, and green job encouragement.
The Role of Local Communities: Grassroots Action
While national policies and technological innovations take center stage, local communities have been critical to the fight against climate change in Kenya. Community-led grassroots movements are implementing solutions that reflect customary knowledge and modern environmental norms. The Green Belt Movement, initiated by the late Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai, is a prime example.
The Green Belt Movement has been at the forefront of tree planting, environmental education, and community empowerment. The movement has planted millions of trees to date and continues to advocate for policies promoting sustainable land use and climate resilience. In rural communities like Laikipia, conservation by communities is reclaiming degraded land, protecting water resources, and preventing soil erosion. These efforts also contribute to food security through the adoption of agroforestry and sustainable farming techniques.
“We have trust in the people’s capability to bring change. It is the people living locally who know the land, and they should be the ones in the front of environmental protection,” says Green Belt Movement acting director Dr. Joyce Nyairo. “We have seen massive change when the people around a certain area are involved in their environment.”
A Global Responsibility: Climate Justice and Advocacy
While Kenya has made forceful efforts to tackle climate change, it is also very sensitive to the need for global action. While being one of the least emitting countries in carbon emissions, Kenya is still among the countries most affected by climate change, a concern that highlights the need for climate justice.
At the international platforms like the UN Climate Change Conferences (COP), Kenya has been vocal regarding the need for the developed world to honor their commitments to reducing emissions and providing financial support for developing nations to adapt to climate change. In the aftermath of COP27, Kenya’s President William Ruto reiterated the significance of global collaboration: “We are the least responsible for climate change, yet we are the most affected.”. The world must act such that no one will be left behind.
Kenya is also advocating for greater investment in climate adaptation, particularly in the most vulnerable communities affected by the effects of the changing climate. Some of these include investments in water management, food security initiatives, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
