In the rift valley highlands, where tea plantations ripple across hillsides and rivers cut through fertile valleys, climate change has ceased to be a distant scientific forecast.
In Nandi County, it is a lived experience, felt in erratic rainfall, extended dry spells, unexpected cold snaps and declining agricultural yields.
For communities whose livelihoods depend heavily on predictable weather patterns, the climate crisis poses an existential threat.
Yet amid these challenges, Nandi County is steadily emerging as a model of how collaboration between county government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), research institutions, faith-based bodies and grassroots communities can translate climate policy into practical action.
Across the county, the evidence of climate stress is stark. County assessments show that more than 80 per cent of farming households have experienced significant changes in weather patterns, including excessive rainfall, frost, hailstorms and prolonged dry seasons.
These disruptions have reduced crop yields, strained household incomes and heightened food insecurity.
According to Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, the county could no longer afford to treat climate change as a future risk. “Climate change is already with us,” he says. “Our responsibility as a county government is to protect livelihoods today while safeguarding resources for the next generation.”
This sense of urgency has driven the county to institutionalise climate action. Nandi allocates at least two percent of its annual development budget to climate change programmes and has established climate change units from county headquarters down to ward level.
These structures are anchored in the Nandi County Climate Change Action Plan (CCCAP), which aligns local development priorities with Kenya’s National Adaptation Plan and global commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The County Executive Committee Member for Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Rose Chepkorir, explains that the action plan was deliberately designed to cut across all sectors. “Climate change is not just an environmental issue,” she notes. “It affects agriculture, water, health, infrastructure and even education. That is why our approach integrates climate considerations into every department.”
One of the most visible outcomes of this integrated approach is the county’s expansive reforestation drive. In line with Kenya’s national target of growing 15 billion trees by 2032, Nandi has mobilised schools, community groups, private companies and development partners to restore degraded landscapes.
Tree planting initiatives focus on water catchments, riparian zones, schools and farms, combining indigenous species with fruit trees that provide long-term economic value.
In Nandi Hills, partnerships involving the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), the county government and local communities have seen thousands of seedlings planted in public schools. “When children plant trees, they grow up understanding that protecting the environment is part of their responsibility,” says Tea Board of Kenya regional manager David Kiprono. “This is how we build a culture of conservation.”
Civil society organisations (CSOs) have reinforced these efforts. Community-led campaigns have resulted in large-scale tree planting in forests such as Kimondi, contributing to biodiversity conservation, soil stabilisation and carbon sequestration.
For community advocate and environmentalist Mary Jelagat, who has worked with local NGOs on forest restoration, the impact is already visible. “Streams that were drying up are beginning to recover,” she says. “People are starting to see the connection between trees, water and their own survival.”
Agriculture, the backbone of Nandi’s economy, sits at the heart of the county’s climate strategy. Through partnerships with organisations such as Solidaridad Network, farmers are adopting agroforestry and other climate-smart practices that integrate trees into crop and livestock systems. These methods improve soil fertility, enhance moisture retention and reduce vulnerability to extreme weather.
In the initial phase of the agroforestry programme, more than 500 farmers participated, collectively sequestering over 1,300 carbon removal credits. The programme has since expanded, with thousands of farmers registered and plans underway to scale up significantly. Solidaridad project coordinator Peter Mwangi says the initiative is changing how farmers view climate action. “For the first time, farmers are seeing climate solutions as an economic opportunity, not just an environmental obligation,” he explains.
Research and innovation have further strengthened these interventions. Nandi County hosts a Living Lab for Low-Emission Food System Transformation (LLLEFST), implemented in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) climate programmes.
The Living Lab brings together farmers, researchers, policymakers and private sector actors to test and scale practices that reduce emissions while boosting productivity.
Dr Lillian Kiptanui, a researcher with ILRI working in Nandi, describes the Living Lab as a space for co-creation. “We are not coming with ready-made solutions,” she says. “Farmers are co-designers. Their knowledge of local conditions is as important as scientific data.”
Climate action in the county has also drawn in faith-based organisations and regional institutions. Through collaboration with the National Council of Churches of Kenya and the North Rift Economic Bloc, the county has expanded climate awareness and strengthened cross-county policy coordination.
Reverend Joseph Chemweno of NCCK notes that faith institutions play a unique role. “When we speak about caring for creation from the pulpit, people listen,” he says. “It reinforces the message that environmental stewardship is a moral duty.”
Women and youth are central to these efforts. Targeted training programmes in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable agribusiness have empowered hundreds of women and young people to diversify livelihoods and adapt to changing climatic conditions.
For youth leader Sharon Chebet, who participated in one such programme, the impact is personal. “Climate change has made farming unpredictable,” she says. “Now I have skills that help me earn income while protecting the land.”
Water resource management forms another pillar of the county’s climate response. Initiatives focusing on wetland restoration, spring protection and rainwater harvesting have improved access to clean water while reducing vulnerability to droughts and floods. These programmes are closely linked to land use planning and community participation, ensuring long-term sustainability.
What sets Nandi County apart is the deliberate weaving together of policy, finance, science and community action. Climate change is treated not as a standalone project but as a shared development challenge.
As Governor Sang puts it, “No single actor can solve this problem alone. It is the partnerships that make the difference.”
As climate impacts intensify across Kenya, the experience of Nandi County offers a powerful lesson. With committed leadership, inclusive partnerships and community ownership, local governments can turn climate adversity into an opportunity for resilience and sustainable growth.
In Nandi’s hills and valleys, that transformation is already taking root—one tree, one farm and one partnership at a time.
By Sammy Mwibanda