The County Government of Nakuru has intensified its campaigns to enable small holder farmers adopt climate-smart innovations and technologies to help them reduce production costs and boost their incomes.
The devolved unit has announced that it has prioritized sustainable farming practices in its policies and budget to ensure food and nutrition security and build resilience against climate change shocks.
Chief Officer for Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services Dr Michael Cheruiyot said integrating climate-smart agriculture into county planning is critical in helping farmers adapt to changing weather patterns, improving livestock productivity and building resilient food systems capable of withstanding climate shocks.
Dr Cheruiyot said his department, in collaboration with various State agencies, local and international firms and research institutions were building capacity of both small holder and large-scale farmers in practicing sustainable agriculture towards improving crop yields, stimulating the economy and helping mitigate climate change.
Speaking during a Policy Dialogue and Advocacy Workshop convened by the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) Kenya, the Chief Officer said the county government is committed to increase acreage under irrigation to move the devolved unit away from rain-fed farming.
“Only 17 per cent (0.986 million hectares) of agricultural land in Kenya can be sustained by rain annually. To produce optimally in the other remaining 83 per cent (4.81 million hectares), irrigation must be carried out. In Nakuru our target is to increase the acreage under irrigation from the current 1000 hectares to 2500 hectares across the county,” Dr Cheruiyot explained.
The Chief Officer elaborated that Nakuru County is aligning its climate action policies with Kenya’s national food security and climate adaptation agenda through integrated development planning, a move expected to strengthen agricultural productivity, protect farmers’ livelihoods and support the country’s transition towards climate-resilient food systems.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to domesticate Kenya’s commitments under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and other national climate frameworks by embedding them into county development programmes where food production and climate interventions directly impact citizens.
He noted that a lot of productive land in arid and semi-arid areas remained unproductive during the dry season, adding that were the land put under irrigation, food production could increase and food shortage reduced
The Chief Officer revealed that the County administration was using various forums, including farmers’ field days, to disseminate information to farmers to address climate change challenges.
“Our ultimate goal is to translate the information, knowledge and new technologies into increased incomes for smallholder farmers and alleviate poverty. The investment in irrigation, climate-smart innovations and technologies is designed to promote food security, bring resilience in the economy, create jobs and reduce poverty,” Dr Cheruiyot said.
He noted that strengthening climate resilience at the county level is essential to sustaining agricultural production, protecting rural livelihoods and contributing to national food security.
The official observed that climate change has different effects on different geographical regions and crop performance, and stated that vulnerable populations are likely to be the most negatively affected.
He added: “The growing urban populations in Africa drives up the demand for food and this could be achieved if smallholder farmers embrace climate-smart agriculture practices which will cushion them against climate change challenges like drought, floods, pests and diseases.”
He assured residents that the County government will continue collaborating with other public and private sector partners to ensure farmers access crop varieties that are resilient to drought.
“We are committed to work with research institutions, state agencies and private firms to have our farmers keep more heat-tolerant and disease-resistant livestock breeds that are better adapted to the prevailing tough climatic conditions and which can feed on fodder more efficiently to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of product (such as milk, meat and eggs, among others),” noted the Chief Officer.
He noted that agriculture is hugely vulnerable to climate change, particularly in Kenya, where crops rely on regular, sufficient and predictable rainfall.
“Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns have created extreme weather conditions such as flash flooding, drought and locust invasions that have not only slashed crop yields but fueled regional conflict over diminishing access to essential resources,” said Dr Cheruiyot.
He stated that the County government had entered into partnerships geared towards building resilience in smallholder farming and pastoral communities that depend on rain-fed agriculture through scaling up climate-smart agricultural practices, strengthening climate-smart agricultural research and seed systems, and supporting agro-meteorology and advisory services.
“Sustainable agriculture is about increasing profitable farm income, protecting the environment, enhancing quality of life for farming communities and increasing production for human food and fibre needs, he stated.
Dr Cheruiyot listed some of the climate smart agriculture practices as development and use of drought and heat tolerant crop varieties, finding use for waste products from crops, training on the costs and benefits of crop insurance, reduction of post-harvest losses through support of agricultural machinery, adoption of biological pesticides for green gram farmers, conservation of agriculture practices such as zero tillage and mulching, adoption of a warehouse receipting system and making use of waste material for biogas.
“For pastoralists, the practices entail shifts in herd composition from cattle to goats and/or camels, while in dairy farming it involves providing feed supplementation to increase productivity, provision of adequate water, improving collection systems to reduce spoilage and biogas systems to provide household energy and reduce emissions from manure,” he explained.
The workshop brought together county and national government officials, development partners, civil society organizations and policy experts strengthening collaboration and integrating climate action and food security priorities into the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP).
Chief Officer for Economic Planning Dr Victor Achoka said embedding climate adaptation and food security priorities into county development plans would improve evidence-based planning, strengthen resource allocation and ensure public investments respond effectively to emerging environmental and economic challenges.
He observed that integrating national climate commitments into county programmes would enable local governments to deliver practical solutions that improve agricultural productivity while supporting sustainable development.
Participants reviewed existing county planning frameworks, identified policy and implementation gaps and developed recommendations to strengthen coordination among agriculture, environment, water and planning sectors.
The proposals are expected to guide future policy implementation while promoting stronger collaboration between national and county governments.
The dialogue underscored the important role counties play in implementing Kenya’s climate commitments, noting that successful adaptation depends largely on local investments in sustainable agriculture, water conservation, ecosystem restoration and resilient food systems.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), climate change remains one of the greatest threats to global food security, affecting agricultural productivity through prolonged droughts, floods, shifting rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures.
The agency recommends climate-smart agriculture as a key strategy for increasing productivity while strengthening resilience and reducing environmental degradation.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that Africa remains among regions most vulnerable to climate change because of its high dependence on rain-fed agriculture.
The panel notes that investing in adaptation measures, particularly at local government level, is critical to protecting livelihoods and reducing food insecurity.
In Kenya, agriculture contributes approximately 22.4 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product directly and supports more than 70 per cent of rural livelihoods, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
The sector is increasingly affected by prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall and land degradation, highlighting the need for coordinated climate adaptation across all 47 counties.
Kenya’s National Climate Change Action Plan (2023–2027) identifies county governments as central to delivering climate action through mainstreaming adaptation measures into County Integrated Development Plans.
On the other hand, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) also prioritises climate-smart agriculture to improve food security, increase farmer incomes and strengthen resilience.
County officials said the outcomes of the policy dialogue will strengthen collaboration between national and county institutions, ensuring climate investments are translated into practical interventions that enhance food production, protect natural resources and improve livelihoods, contributing to Kenya’s long-term sustainable development goals.
By Jane Ngugi and Jefther Afuyo
