The government has signed a $2.08 million (Sh270 million) grant agreement to strengthen climate resilience in agriculture by helping farmers access and use climate information to manage weather-related risks.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi signed the Climate Smart Agribusiness Partnerships for Resilience (CSAPR) grant agreement Thursday during a meeting with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Director Matteo Marchisio.
The funding, provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through IFAD, will complement the Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme (INReMP), which supports sustainable management of natural resources and improved rural livelihoods.
The initiative will integrate Climate Information Systems into agricultural value chains, enabling farmers and agribusinesses to make informed decisions on production, planning and risk management amid increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
Mbadi said the agreement reflected the government's commitment to working with development partners to strengthen agricultural resilience and improve productivity.
"This funding will enable farmers and agribusinesses to access and use climate information to manage climate related risks and use improve productivity," Mbadi said in a statement.
He reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to deepening cooperation with IFAD, noting the importance of partnerships in supporting the transformation of the country's agricultural sector.
The grant is expected to help bridge the gap between the availability of climate information and its practical application by farmers and agricultural enterprises.
Access to timely and reliable forecasts can help farmers determine when to plant, select suitable crops, plan irrigation and prepare for extreme weather events, including droughts and floods.
For agribusinesses, climate information can support decisions on sourcing, storage, processing and distribution, helping reduce losses and improve the reliability of agricultural supply chains.
Kenya's agricultural sector remains vulnerable to climate change, with changing rainfall patterns and prolonged dry spells affecting crop production, livestock and rural incomes.
The integration of climate information into agricultural value chains is intended to improve preparedness and enable farmers to respond more effectively to changing conditions.
During the meeting, Marchisio pledged to strengthen IFAD's longstanding partnership with Kenya in support of agricultural transformation and rural livelihoods.
He said the organisation would continue working with the government to advance initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of rural communities.
The agreement comes as Kenya seeks to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen food security and improve the resilience of farming communities against climate-related shocks.
Through the partnership, the government hopes to ensure that climate information becomes a practical tool for farmers and agribusinesses rather than simply a source of weather forecasts.
The grant will complement ongoing natural resource management efforts by linking climate information to decisions across agricultural value chains.
