Kenya has received a fresh boost in its climate-smart agriculture efforts following the award of a Ksh 325 million (USD 2.5 million) grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The funding, provided under the Climate Smart Agribusiness Partnerships for Resilience (CSAPR), will be used to strengthen climate information systems that provide farmers and agri-MSMEs with timely, reliable data.
Officials say access to accurate information will help improve productivity, enhance resilience to climate shocks and boost profitability for farming communities.
The announcement was made during a review meeting of the Kenya Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme (INReMP), hosted by National Treasury and Economic Planning Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo. The session was attended by Agriculture PS Dr. Kipronoh Rono, Environment PS Eng. Festus Ngeno and IFAD Country Director Mariatu Kamara.
Dr. Kiptoo welcomed the additional funding, saying it would complement ongoing interventions aimed at safeguarding food systems and improving rural livelihoods.
“This grant comes at a crucial time when farmers are facing increasing climate risks. With stronger climate information systems, they will be able to plan better, avoid losses and increase their incomes,” he said.
Agriculture PS Dr. Kipronoh Rono emphasized the role of resilience in transforming the agricultural sector.
“Kenya cannot achieve agricultural transformation without investing in climate-smart solutions. This support will directly help smallholder farmers adapt to changing weather patterns while ensuring food and nutrition security,” he noted.
INReMP is already one of Kenya’s largest climate-related investments, with a budget of KES 34 billion (USD 262.68 million) supported by the Government of Kenya, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The programme targets 10 counties within the Cherangany Hills and Mau West water towers, directly benefiting 407,176 rural households more than two million people. Its priorities are to build food and nutrition security, strengthen income resilience for farmers and restore degraded ecosystems.
The initiative is anchored on three pillars: community-led climate and ecosystem action, inclusive and sustainable rural livelihoods and stronger policies and institutions for integrated resource management.
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