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Correspondent wrote a new post

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:46:47 +0300

Africa’s Climate Finance Gap Is Holding Back Proven Local Solutions By Seth Onyango Across Africa, communities are restoring degraded farmland, rebuilding mangrove forests and creating businesses that protect natural resources while generating income. These initiatives show that the continent has practical responses to climate change, but what many lack is reliable finance to expand beyond individual communities and short funding cycles. Projects in East Africa illustrate both the potential of locally implemented climate action and the financial barriers holding it back. In Tanzania’s Mwanza region, within the Lake Victoria watershed, Trees for the Future is using a $2.9 million grant from a United States foundation to expand an agroforestry programme that replaces single-crop fields with combinations of trees, fruit, vegetables, grain and livestock fodder. The programme plans to support 2,780 smallholder farmers annually between 2026 and 2029, where each participating farm will grow between 2,500 and 4,000 trees. The system is intended to restore depleted soils, diversify food production and help households cope with increasingly unpredictable rainfall. About 3,000 acres are expected to be restored each year, with approximately 21,900 family members benefiting from improved food supplies. The programme also incorporates savings groups and land-use planning to help participating households retain the benefits after the grant ends. Trees for the Future says it has trained more than 12,000 farmers and planted over 36 million trees in Tanzania since 2016. Its experience shows that land restoration can be integrated with food production and household income, but also exposes a recurring problem where successful projects often depend on grants whose expiry can limit expansion or leave communities searching for replacement funding. Along Kenya’s southern coast, communities are using a different model to restore mangrove forests and strengthen livelihoods. At Gazi Bay, the Aga Khan Foundation and Portugal’s Camões Institute are supporting the restoration of 226 hectares of mangrove forest. About 65,000 seedlings have been planted across six hectares. The Gazi initiative combines restoration with conservation training, enterprises led by women and young people, and efforts to increase revenue from the Gazi Boardwalk. These activities recognise that communities are more likely to protect restored ecosystems when conservation also supports household income. In Zanzibar, a community-led initiative is rehabilitating 3,300 hectares of mangrove and coral-rag forest across 16 areas. Rather than depending entirely on donor grants, the project plans to generate high-integrity carbon credits to help finance continued restoration. The projects in Mwanza, Gazi Bay and Zanzibar use different approaches, but they point to the same conclusion that African communities are already restoring soils, protecting coastlines, conserving forests and building climate-related enterprises. The financing challenge is to help these initiatives grow without burdening communities with unaffordable debt or leaving them dependent on short-term grants. That challenge is expected to feature prominently as African leaders gather for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). African countries are seeking increased adaptation finance, delivery of loss and damage commitments, and changes to an international financial system marked by high borrowing costs, mounting debt and complicated funding procedures. The central question is whether global climate finance can move from pledges and specialised funding mechanisms to capital that African institutions and communities can access and use. The 2026 Africa Sustainable Development Report underlines the scale of the problem. It records progress in 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but concludes that the advances are neither fast nor extensive enough to meet the 2030 targets. The report identifies financing shortages, inadequate infrastructure, limited institutional capacity, conflict, climate shocks and rising debt-service costs as major barriers. “Structural constraints including financing shortfalls, limited institutional capacities, and frequent climate and economic shocks have slowed progress and, in some areas, reversed gains,” it says. Climate finance is therefore not a separate environmental concern, as it influences whether farmers can protect food production, coastal settlements can withstand storms and erosion, and climate-vulnerable countries an preserve development gains. Philip Kilonzo, head of policy, advocacy and communication at the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, says the main problem is not an absence of local solutions but financing systems that failed to reflect conditions at the community level. “Adaptation is local, and African communities have demonstrated that they have requisite solutions,” he says. “The unjustifiable gap is in complex financing models and modalities that are yet to come to reality with what is needed to deliver climate action at the front line.” According to Diana Nabiruma, manager of programmes and communications at Uganda’s Africa Institute for Energy Governance, financing could also help communities build businesses around clean energy and conservation. She cites clean-energy enterprises, beekeeping and sustainable nature-based tourism as activities that allow people to earn an income while conserving forests or reducing dependence on polluting energy sources. “Africa does not lack climate solutions. It lacks the scale, finance and enabling systems needed to take proven African solutions from communities to national and continental levels,” said Imali Ngusale, strategic lead at the Africa Centre for Health, Climate and Gender Justice Alliance. The article has been republished from Bird Story Agency: https://agency.birdstory Continue Reading

Correspondent wrote a new post

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:38:46 +0300

Kenya’s Indigenous Seeds Face a Defining Legal and Policy Test By Daniel Kipchumba Kenya’s rules governing indigenous seeds are entering a decisive period as the government challenges a High Court judgment that expanded farmers’ seed rights while simultaneously reviewing the country’s seed law. At stake is whether smallholder farmers can continue saving, exchanging and selling indigenous seed without undergoing certification procedures designed largely for commercially bred varieties. For generations, farmers have preserved crop diversity by selecting seed from successful harvests and sharing it through families, communities and local markets. Seed advocates argue that restricting these practices threatens food security, agricultural biodiversity and farmers’ control over what they grow. The dispute intensified on November 27, 2025, when the High Court in Machakos declared several provisions of the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act unconstitutional. The judgment followed a case brought by Seed Savers Network and 15 farmers challenging provisions that affected their ability to sell and share uncertified indigenous seed. The government, acting through the Attorney-General on behalf of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, has appealed against the decision. The appeal could determine whether the protections secured through the judgment remain in place. Robert Kiiru an advocate of the High Court at Seed Savers Network, headquarters Nakuru County. | Photo Daniel Kipchumba. “The outcome will have a direct effect on farmers’ ability to save, exchange, share and market their seed,” said High Court advocate Robert Kiiru. According to Kiiru, overturning the judgment could restore restrictions that prevent farmers from selling or marketing seed unless it has been registered or certified. He said the certification system requires characteristics such as distinctness, uniformity and stability, standards that says may be difficult and expensive for smallholder farmers maintaining genetically diverse indigenous varieties to meet. The government’s position is that indigenous seed cannot easily be released into the formal market without certification because regulators must safeguard seed quality. Seed advocates argue the law should distinguish farmer-managed seed systems from commercial seed production and create proportionate rules for each. Kiiru also raised concerns about provisions granting inspectors access to farms and about sanctions that may be imposed where a protected plant variety is found. He argued that enforcement must respect privacy, property rights and the constitutional right to fair administrative action. “Whoever controls your seed controls your food and ultimately controls your life,” he said. The consequences of the case are practical for farmers such as Mary Chamakani of Marigat in Baringo County. Chamakani grows indigenous yellow and red maize, African nightshade, locally known as managu, and beans. She also exchanges seed with other farmers. Mary Chamakany, a farmer from Marigat in Baringo county during a recent meeting at Seed Savers Network Kenya. | Photo Daniel Kipchumba. For her, seed sharing allows farmers to retain varieties adapted to local food preferences and growing conditions without purchasing new seed every season. “I pray that the Machakos ruling is upheld. It will help us to produce more,” she said. Indigenous varieties can carry traits selected by farmers over many seasons, including suitability for particular soils, tastes and rainfall conditions. Maintaining that diversity may become increasingly important as farmers confront drought, erratic rainfall, pests and other climate-related pressures. Restricting circulation of such seed could therefore affect not only farmers’ rights but also the resilience of local food systems. The court case is unfolding alongside a government review of the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act. That process provides another route through which Kenya could recognise farmer-managed seed systems while retaining safeguards against misrepresentation and poor-quality seed. Tabby Munyiri, Seed Savers Network’s communication and advocacy officer, said the organisation expects a draft seed Bill to be released for public participation. She called for farmers to be adequately informed and included in that process. Tabby Munyiri, the communication and advocacy officer at Seed Savers Network Kenya, in a recent agriculture workshop. | Photo Daniel Kipchumba “We are raising awareness about the importance of indigenous seeds and the need for their recognition and protection, both in practice and in law,” Munyiri said. She said this during the Seed Savers Network in Naivasha during a forum to examine the court appeal and the expected legislative review. The legal campaign began in 2018, when Seed Savers Network sought pro bono legal assistance through TrustLaw. The organisation later worked with Greenpeace Africa to build legal capacity and intensify advocacy. The case was filed in 2022, with 15 farmers participating as petitioners. The Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya subsequently joined the proceedings as interested parties. The appeal process could take several years, according to Kiiru, who added that the review of the Act may move faster and could reshape the law before the appeal is concluded. Both processes will determine how Kenya balances formal seed regulation with the rights of farmers who conserve and circulate indiContinue Reading

Big3Africa Desk wrote a new post

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:54:16 +0300

Carbon Credits Must Deliver More Than Cash to Farmers Carbon markets are often discussed in technical terms such as carbon credits, verification systems and international standards. For smallholder farmers, however, their value lies in the practical benefits they deliver on the farm. A carbon project is meaningful when it helps farmers restore depleted soils, conserve water, protect crops from extreme weather and strengthen household incomes. While carbon credits may provide additional income, they should be treated as one outcome of the project and not the sole measure of its success. Vi Agroforestry has spent more than 15 years developing and managing agricultural carbon projects with smallholder farmers. Its experience through the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project (KACP) and the Livelihoods Mount Elgon Project offers practical evidence of what these projects can achieve, as well as the difficulties that must be addressed. Since 2009, the project has worked with approximately 30,000 farmers organised into 1,730 groups, who adopted practices such as agroforestry, composting, keeping soil covered, reducing unnecessary soil disturbance and improving water management. Project monitoring recorded higher crop productivity alongside increased carbon storage in soil and trees. The significance of these results extends beyond carbon. Compost helps restore soil fertility and can reduce reliance on purchased fertilizer, trees provide fodder, fruit, fuelwood and shade while protecting the soil, and ground cover slows moisture loss and reduces erosion. These are direct farm benefits, particularly as farmers face irregular rainfall, prolonged dry periods and rising input costs. KACP also exposed the demands of producing credible carbon credits with farmers continuing to apply the agreed practices, while groups and field officers maintain records. Project teams collect and verify data, and independent auditors examine farm activities, soil information, maps and participation records before validating the claimed results. The Livelihoods Mount Elgon Project provides further evidence of how carbon interventions can be integrated into farming livelihoods. The project works with about 16,000 smallholder farmers in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties, combining sustainable agriculture, agroforestry and dairy development. Farmers are supported to prepare compost, mulch their fields, rotate crops, plant cover crops and establish trees. They also receive support in soil and water conservation, while dairy farmers learn about fodder production, animal feeding and farm management. These interventions address identifiable problems such as how loss of soil fertility reduces harvests, runoff carries away topsoil during heavy rainfall, while inadequate fodder limits milk production during dry periods. The project’s impact must nevertheless be examined alongside its shortcomings. Implementation has faced logistical problems including changes in scope and disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. An environmental and social audit identified delays in delivering inputs, limited youth participation, land-tenure barriers affecting women, drought-related water shortages and insufficient communication about carbon-credit processes. These findings are important because development impact cannot be demonstrated by reporting successes alone, and independent assessment, disclosure of weaknesses and corrective action are necessary to establish whether a project is delivering what it promised. The experience also shows that farmers cannot be treated merely as suppliers of carbon credits. They provide the labour required to dig terraces, prepare compost, plant seedlings, protect trees and maintain farming practices over many years. They also carry risks when seedlings die, drought reduces production, inputs arrive late or land must be prioritised for immediate food needs. Benefits should therefore include more than eventual carbon payments. Seedlings, training, extension support, healthier soils, improved production, stronger farmer groups and market access can deliver value before credits are issued. Where carbon sales generate revenue, farmers must understand how costs are deducted, how benefits are divided and when payments can reasonably be expected. The recent Letter of Approval issued to KACP after it met Kenya’s national carbon-market requirements marks progress, but approval alone is not proof of impact. The stronger test is whether participating farmers experience lasting improvements in their land, production and resilience. It is therefore important to appreciate that agricultural carbon markets will earn farmers’ trust only when that work is recognised, the evidence is openly reported and the value created is shared fairly. The writer is the Resource Mobilization and Communication Officer at Vi Agroforestry Kenya, LeahContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:44:46 +0300

Coastal Counties First in Line as El Niño Rains Start Kenya’s coastal counties are projected to be the first to experience heavy rainfall associated with a strengthening El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), according to an analysis of seasonal weather models. According to weather and climate analyst Maithya wa Vilivū, moderate to heavy rainfall that are falling in the coastal counties are expected to continue before spreading to other parts of the country. Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu and the Tana Delta area of Tana River County are already receiving significant rains with Mombasa receiving rainfall exceeding 100mm in the last 72 hours. According to the forecast, the next in line are North Eastern counties of Mandera, Wajir and Marsabit. The forecast indicates that rainfall could subsequently extend inland, eventually reaching counties including Isiolo, Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Garissa, Tana River and Taita Taveta by early to mid-October. The projected coastal onset raises the risk of flash floods in Mombasa and other densely settled urban areas where inadequate drainage regularly causes roads, homes and businesses to flood. Low-lying settlements and communities near seasonal rivers in Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu and Tana River could also face displacement, crop damage and disruption of transport. Tana River and Garissa may face an additional threat as heavy local rainfall combines with increased river flows from upstream catchments. This could expose communities along the Tana River to flooding, particularly in low-lying areas where homes, farms and livestock are concentrated. The Water Resources Authority has warned that sustained heavy rainfall can cause rivers to overtop their banks, flood neighbouring settlements and damage water infrastructure. Saturated soils may also increase surface runoff and reduce the time available for communities to respond. In the eastern counties, intense rainfall could produce flash floods along seasonal rivers and dry valleys. Motorists and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable when attempting to cross flooded roads or riverbeds, where water levels can rise rapidly even when rain has fallen many kilometres upstream. The emerging forecast is consistent with the wider regional outlook. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in August that the Greater Horn of Africa was expected to be warmer and wetter than usual during the final quarter of 2026 as El Niño strengthened. El Niño occurs when surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become unusually warm, altering atmospheric circulation and rainfall patterns in different parts of the world. In equatorial East Africa, it is frequently associated with enhanced rainfall during the October–December season. The IOD, which reflects differences in sea-surface temperatures between the western and eastern Indian Ocean, can reinforce that rainfall. When El Niño and a positive IOD occur together, the probability of widespread and unusually heavy rain over Kenya and neighbouring countries can increase. The forecast gives national and county governments time to clear drainage systems, inspect bridges and culverts, identify evacuation centres and pre-position emergency supplies. Farmers will also need location-specific guidance on planting dates, crop selection, soil protection and livestock safety. Residents should continue following forecasts and warnings issued by the Kenya Meteorological Department and disaster-management authorities as shorter-range predictions become available. These will provide greater detail on when hazardous rainfall is likely to occur and which areas face the most immediatContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:23:28 +0300

World Records Hottest Month as El Niño Threat Grows August 2026 was the world’s warmest month on record, extending an exceptional period of global heat as a strengthening El Niño raises the risk of disruptive weather well into 2027. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said August 2026 was also the joint-hottest month ever measured, matching July 2023. The Northern Hemisphere experienced its warmest summer on record, while the Southern Hemisphere had a near-record warm winter. Data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (CCCS) showed that the average global surface temperature during August was 1.65 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial level. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) separately found that the global temperature was 1.32°C above the 20th-century average, making August the warmest in a record extending back to 1850. All 10 of the hottest Augusts have occurred since 2016, according to NOAA. Record temperatures covered large parts of Africa, Greenland, Europe, Asia and the Americas, as well as extensive areas of the Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic oceans. The findings were based on separate assessments by Copernicus, NOAA and the US space agency NASA. The oceans also entered unprecedented territory as average sea-surface temperatures outside the polar regions reached a daily record of 21.11°C during the month. Exceptional warmth covered much of the tropical Pacific Ocean, where El Niño has become firmly established. El Niño is a naturally occurring warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific that alters atmospheric circulation and influences rainfall and temperature patterns across the world. Its effects are now being added to the longer-term warming caused mainly by human emissions of greenhouse gases. WMO said the current El Niño is expected to intensify into a very strong event over the coming months, with major effects on rainfall and temperature patterns continuing into 2027. El Niño does not affect every part of the continent in the same way, but it can shift rainy seasons and contribute to excessive rainfall in some regions and dry conditions in others. The Greater Horn of Africa is among the regions where El Niño can significantly influence seasonal rainfall, although local outcomes depend on other ocean and atmospheric conditions. Globally, El Niño also influenced tropical cyclone activity during August. Nineteen tropical storms were recorded, five of which reached hurricane or typhoon strength. During the month of August, Europe experienced heatwaves after months of exceptional warmth. Severe drought was reported in France, Britain, Hungary, Romania and Serbia, while flows in major rivers, including the Rhine and Danube, fell to exceptionally low levels. Sea ice extent remained below average in both the Arctic and Antarctic, adding to evidence that the August warmth extended across the climate system rather than being confined to land temperaContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:07:19 +0300

Mount Kenya Fire Leaves Water, Wildlife and Tourism at Risk The wildfire that has burnt thousands of hectares on Mount Kenya could have consequences affecting water supplies, wildlife habitats, tourism and the livelihoods of communities surrounding the mountain. Firefighters have contained about 85 per cent of the blaze, but teams are still battling hotspots and fresh flare-ups, and the full ecological and economic cost will only become clear after the fire is extinguished and detailed assessments are completed. The fire started near Rutundu Lodge on September 1 and spread towards Marania Forest in the north and Chogoria in the south-west. Strong winds, high temperatures, dry grass and invasive vegetation accelerated its movement through steep, inaccessible terrain. Estimates of the area affected vary, with Government figures indicating that more than 3,000 hectares have burnt, while Rhino Ark estimated that the fire had consumed about 8,700 hectares of moorland by September 6. Mount Kenya’s forests, wetlands and moorlands collect, store and gradually release water into rivers feeding the Tana and Ewaso Ng’iro basins. These rivers support homes, farms, livestock, wildlife, industry and hydropower generation across a large part of the country. Loss of vegetation to the fire can weaken the mountain’s ability to retain water and protect soil, allowing water to flow rapidly over burnt ground during brains, carrying ash, soil and plant material into streams. This could reduce water quality, increase erosion and deposit sediment in downstream reservoirs. Wildlife has also lost feeding, breeding and shelter areas. Officials have reported no human casualties and say many large animals moved away from the fire, but smaller mammals, reptiles, insects and ground-nesting birds may have been killed or displaced. The Mount Kenya ecosystem is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and supports tourism businesses, guides, porters, accommodation providers and traders. Closure of routes, damaged scenery and safety concerns could disrupt visitor activity and reduce local earnings. More than 400 personnel from the Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, local communities and conservation organisations are involved in the response, with aerial surveillance helping crews locate activContinue Reading

Dan Kaburu wrote a new post

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:47:25 +0300

East African Farmers Set for KES 25.8 Billion Climate Investment Boost Smallholder farmers and rural businesses in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda are set to access financing for irrigation, water harvesting, better storage and other investments intended to protect agricultural production from worsening climate shocks. This is after Equity Group and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) launched a $200 million (KES 25.8 billion) financing mechanism targeting farmers and agricultural enterprises that often struggle to obtain conventional bank loans. The programme known as Africa Rural Climate Adaptation Finance Mechanism (ARCAFIM) will operate for 12 years and use a mixture of concessional and commercial capital. Its practical test will be whether it makes climate-resilience investments affordable and accessible to farmers exposed to droughts, floods, erratic rainfall and rising production costs. The facility consists of $180 million in lending capital and about $20 million for technical assistance. Equity will contribute $90 million from its balance sheet, matching the concessional lending capital provided by IFAD. The financing will support investments such as irrigation and rainwater harvesting systems, climate-resilient livestock and dairy production, post-harvest storage, renewable energy and agricultural processing designed to withstand climate-related disruptions. The programme plans to reach about 260,000 smallholder producers and 500 rural micro, small and medium-sized enterprises across the four countries, with at least half of the beneficiaries expected to be women and 30 per cent young people. “Through ARCAFIM, we will finance smallholder farmers and agricultural producers directly and through microfinance institutions, SACCOs and value-chain companies, while extending financing to rural MSMEs,” Equity Bank Kenya Managing Director Moses Nyabanda said. The facility also includes training for lenders, farmers and rural businesses. Financial institutions will be helped to identify viable climate-adaptation projects, while borrowers will receive technical guidance on selecting investments suited to their production risks. IFAD Vice-President Gérardine Mukeshimana said the programme seeks to make rural climate adaptation a viable and permanent area of business for African financial institutions. If the East African phase succeeds, IFAD and Equity say the model could be extended to SContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:56:27 +0300

Pesticide Poisoning Hits More Than Half of East Africa’s Farmers More than half of farmers and agricultural workers in East Africa may suffer unintentional acute pesticide poisoning each year, according to a new global study that places the region among the world’s worst-affected areas. The study, published in Frontiers in Public Health on September 2, estimates that 53.5 per cent of East Africa’s farming population experiences acute pesticide poisoning annually. This translates into about 49.3 million non-fatal cases across the region. Kenya’s estimated prevalence is 35.1 per cent. The rates are considerably higher in Malawi at 78 per cent, Tanzania at 70.8 per cent and Uganda at 66 per cent. Ethiopia recorded the lowest estimate among the six East African countries covered, at 26 per cent. The findings indicate that pesticide poisoning is a major but poorly documented occupational health crisis across Africa, where millions of smallholder farmers and farm workers routinely handle agrochemicals with limited protection, training or access to healthcare. Researchers Wolfgang Boedeker, Meriel Watts, Peter Clausing and Emily Marquez reviewed studies published between 2006 and 2023 and combined the findings with mortality data from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The researchers estimate that between 402 million and 433 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning occur worldwide every year, alongside approximately 11,000 deaths. With the global farming population estimated at 934 million, the findings suggest that about 46 per cent of farmers and farm workers are poisoned annually. Southern Asia recorded the largest estimated number of non-fatal cases, followed by South-East Asia and East Africa. Across Africa, the study estimates approximately 115 million non-fatal cases each year. Besides East Africa’s 49.3 million cases, West Africa accounts for an estimated 30.6 million, Central and Southern Africa 24.8 million, and North Africa 10.3 million. Country estimates vary sharply. Burkina Faso recorded Africa’s highest estimated prevalence at 83.8 per cent, followed by Malawi, Tanzania and Nigeria, where the rate was put at 69 per cent. Acute poisoning refers to illness or other health effects occurring shortly after suspected or confirmed exposure to a pesticide. Reported symptoms can include headaches, nausea, dizziness, skin irritation, breathing difficulties and more severe neurological or respiratory complications. The researchers warned that official figures substantially understate the problem because many affected people do not seek medical treatment. “Farmers may lack money, transport, health insurance or nearby medical facilities. Some also continue working for fear of losing income, while health workers may mistake pesticide poisoning for other illnesses or fail to report cases,” state the report. Africa’s actual burden may therefore be higher than the study estimates because calculations based on formal agricultural employment may exclude subsistence farmers and informal workers, who make up a large share of the continent’s agricultural labour force. The assessment comes as pesticide consumption in Africa has risen by 185 per cent since 1990, compared with a worldwide increase from 1.8 million tonnes to 3.8 million tonnes by 2023. The study calls on governments to strengthen national poisoning surveillance, require health facilities to report pesticide-related cases and distinguish between farmers, other workers and children in official records. It also urges countries to implement the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) recommendation to phase out highly hazardous pesticides. Under the United Nations-backed Global Framework on Chemicals, countries have set a 2035 target for phasing out such pesticides in agriculture where their risks cannot be adequately managed. The researchers argue that relying on protective clothing is often unrealistic for small-scale farmers, particularly where the equipment is expensive, unavailable or uncomfortable in hot climates. Where highly toxic pesticides remain in use, they recommend mandatory training, certification and an obligation on employers to provide suitable protContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:46:58 +0300

Parliament Approves Excision of Nearly 15,000 Acres from Public Forests Kenya’s Parliament has approved the removal of nearly 15,000 acres from three public forests even as the government mobilises the country to plant 15 billion trees and increase national tree cover to 30 per cent by 2032. The decision exposes a contradiction at the centre of Kenya’s environmental policy where the government is spending public resources and seeking international support to restore degraded landscapes while simultaneously reducing the amount of land legally protected as public forest. The National Assembly approved the alteration of boundaries covering 14,874 acres in Mount Elgon, Turbo and Kakamega forests on June 24 following a petition submitted by Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa. The largest portion is 11,483 acres in the Chepyuk area of Mount Elgon Forest. Parliament also approved the removal of 3069 ares from the Manzini block of Turbo Forest, 235 acres at Shiru and another 89 acres at Shaviringa in Kakamega Forest. A further 2,444 acres of South Nandi Forest at Chepkumia was included in the Environment Cabinet Secretary’s original petition but was excluded from adoption because it was being considered separately by Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee. According to the National Assembly committee report, the land will be used to regularise settlements established by previous governments between the 1970s and 1990s for residents who have lived on the land for decades but cannot obtain title deeds because the settlement areas remain legally classified as forests. Parliament maintains that the decision does not involve opening intact forest for new settlements with environment committee saying the affected areas are already occupied, with little or no remaining forest cover. The decision removes the land from the protected forest estate and raises questions about the consistency of the government’s broader restoration and climate policies. President William Ruto launched the National Tree Growing and Restoration Campaign with a target of growing at least 15 billion trees by 2032. The programme, according to the government, is intended to restore degraded landscapes, increase tree cover to 30 per cent, protect water catchments and strengthen Kenya’s response to climate change The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identifies reducing deforestation and forest degradation as essential because it preserves carbon already stored in trees and soil. In its formal submission to Parliament, the National Land Commission (NLC) opposed the degazettement, warning that public forests provide water-catchment services, regulate local climates, protect communities against floods and landslides and support agriculture, biodiversity and livelihoods. The commission argued that removing land from protected forests would conflict with Kenya’s constitutional environmental obligations and could encourage similar claims over the Aberdares, Mount Kenya, Embobut, Ngong Hills and other public forests. It described the proposal as a potential “Pandora’s box” for forest governance and recommended that legitimate settlement claims be resolved using alternative land outside protected ecosystems. Mount Elgon presents particularly serious environmental considerations given that the mountain is one of Kenya’s major water towers and forms part of a transboundary ecosystem shared with Uganda. Its forests regulate water flows, protect soil, store carbon and support wildlife and communities on both sides of the border. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) identifies Mount Elgon as important for biodiversity conservation, water-catchment protection and climate regulation. Rivers originating from the mountain support households, farming, livestock and wildlife across western Kenya and eastern Uganda. Kakamega Forest is also one of Kenya’s most important biodiversity areas and a remnant of the tropical rainforest ecosystem that once extended across equatorial Africa. Although the Shiru and Shaviringa settlement areas are already developed, further fragmentation and pressure around the forest boundary could affect the remaining ecosystem. The parliamentary committee concluded that environmental impact assessments showed the excisions would not harm water catchments, biodiversity or threatened species. It also reported holding community consultations and inspection visits in the affected areas. However, the publicly available 28-page report does not include the listed annexures containing the environmental assessments, detailed submissions and beneficiary documents. This makes it difficult to assess the geographical scope of the studies, the ecological indicators examined or the safeguards proposed for the remaining forests. The decision also has implications for Kenya’s international climate commitments. Kenya’s second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commits the country to reducing projected greenhouse-gas emissions by 35 per cent by 2035, and recognises deforestation and agricultural expansion as drivers of land-sector emissions and places forestry and ecosystem restoration withiContinue Reading

Pauline Ongaji wrote a new post

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 17:29:38 +0300

WMO Warns World to Brace for Stronger El Niño as Extreme Weather Risks Rise The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that an intensifying El Niño is almost certain to persist until at least February 2027. The UN weather agency said El Niño is firmly established and will intensify into a very strong event in the coming months, bringing major shifts in rainfall and temperature patterns and increasing the risks of floods, drought and extreme heat. Forecasts from WMO’s Global Producing Centres indicate an “exceptionally high likelihood of nearly 100%” that El Niño will persist through February 2027. The UN weather agency said exceptionally warm conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean are driving the intensification of the phenomenon, which is expected to reach very strong intensity before peaking towards the end of 2026. “Sea surface temperatures are rising, temperatures keep climbing, and the world is in the danger zone of extreme weather. The race now is between rising risks and our commitment to take climate action and protect people. We must win that race,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said. For Kenya and other countries in East Africa, the development will heighten concerns about possible disruptions to rainfall patterns, agriculture, water resources and livelihoods. El Niño is among the most powerful naturally occurring influences on the global climate system and can significantly alter rainfall, temperatures and atmospheric circulation thousands of kilometres away from the tropical Pacific. However, WMO cautioned that a very strong El Niño does not necessarily produce the same impacts everywhere. Its effects vary depending on location and season and can be influenced by other climate drivers, including conditions in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. This is particularly important for East Africa, where conditions in the Indian Ocean play a significant role in shaping seasonal rainfall. WMO said a positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole is expected to develop during the September-November 2026 period, while the equatorial Atlantic basin is also forecast to remain generally warm. The agency said these conditions could “reinforce, weaken or alter typical El Niño impacts in different regions”. For Kenya, this means that while the global El Niño forecast provides an important warning, the precise impacts on different parts of the country will depend on how several climate systems interact. WMO said national meteorological and hydrological services remain the authoritative source of official warnings and locally relevant climate information. A strong El Niño increases the likelihood of major shifts in rainfall and temperature patterns across many parts of the world. Big3Africa.org summarized report of the El Niño | Courtesy AI For some regions, this can mean unusually heavy rainfall and flooding, while others could experience suppressed rainfall, drought and worsening heat. On the continent, such climate disruptions could have serious implications for food production, water availability and livelihoods, particularly in communities that depend on rain-fed agriculture and livestock. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said the developing event could deliver severe consequences for communities and economies worldwide. “We are already seeing disruption and devastation from droughts and floods and we expect these impacts to increase as El Niño intensifies,” Saulo said. She called for urgent preparedness as countries brace for the possibility of an exceptional event. “This exceptional El Niño demands exceptional preparation and response,” Saulo said. “Never before in the 50-year history of the World Meteorological Organization have we launched such a major mobilization with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services who are on the frontline of delivering the forecasts and services to save lives and livelihoods.” The intensifying El Niño is being fuelled by exceptional warming across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Sea surface temperatures in the region, one of the key indicators of El Niño, are already well above average and continue to rise. The widely used Niño 3.4 index, which measures sea surface temperature anomalies in the central-eastern Pacific, averaged 1.5 degrees Celsius above normal between May and July 2026 before rising to 2 degrees Celsius above normal in July. Weekly values between late July and mid-August climbed further to between approximately 2.2°C and 2.6°C above average. Even more exceptional warming has been recorded below the ocean’s surface, where temperatures in some areas were more than 8°C above average during July and early August. WMO said the combination of unusually warm surface and subsurface ocean conditions provides strong support for continued El Niño conditions and further intensification in the coming months. Confidence in the outlook is high because of strong and mutually reinforcing oceanic and atmospheric signals, as well as close agreement among seasonal prediction systems. The effects of the developing El Niño will not be limited to rainfall. For September to November 2026, WMO’s multi-model forecasts indicate an increased likelihood of above-normal temperatures across almost all land areas. The agency said rainfall patterns are also expected to show a pronounced response to the strong Pacific El Niño. While El Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon and is not caused by climate change, it is unfolding against a backdrop of exceptionally warm global oceans and rising temperatures. El Niño typically develops between March and June and reaches its peak intensity between November and February. Its effects on global temperatures, however, can continue beyond the period of peak ocean warming and may be most pronounced in the year following its development. This means that even after the phenomenon reaches its peak, countries could continue experiencing its climate and socio-economic consequences well into 2027. WMO said the high confidence in the forecast provides governments, humanitarian agencies, businesses and communities with valuable time to prepare. The organisation and national meteorological agencies are stepping up preparedness and early-warning efforts to help countries anticipate and respond to potential climate-related disasters. “WMO is committed to working closely with partners across the United Nations and humanitarian system to provide the climate intelligence and insights needed to support disaster management and climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, health, energy and watContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:21:47 +0300

Sub-Saharan Africa’s Soils Among World’s Worst, FAO Warns of Food Security Threat Sub-Saharan Africa’s soils are in very poor condition, according to a new global assessment from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), a finding that puts the region’s agricultural production, rural livelihoods and food security at serious risk. The findings appear in the “Status of the World’s Soil Resources 2026” report, released by FAO through the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) and its scientific body, the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS). The report updates the first global soil assessment published in 2015, drawing on scientific literature from 2015 to 2025 and input from more than 300 soil experts worldwide to track how countries are managing, or failing to manage one of agriculture’s most basic resources. The report’s regional scorecard for Sub-Saharan Africa rates the state of soil erosion, loss of soil organic carbon and nutrient mismanagement across the region as very poor, with erosion and nutrient loss both flagged as deteriorating. Loss of soil biodiversity is rated poor and worsening as well. Only soil pollution and soil sealing, the paving-over of land by urban expansion, show comparatively better ratings, with pollution improving from a low base. The report attributes the accelerating strain on soils worldwide to population growth, urbanization, geopolitical instability, price shocks and market volatility, compounded by climate change. Together, it says, these forces are driving up demand for food, feed, fibre and fuel, pushing land-use change, unsustainable farming and industrial expansion that erode soil health. “Healthy soils underpin roughly 95 percent of global food production, in addition to filtering and storing water, regulating climate and sustaining biodiversity,” the report notes. “When soils degrade, the damage radiates outward undermining water cycling, nutrient cycling, climate regulation and even the physical and cultural foundations of human communities, setting back progress on multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, including those on hunger, health, water, cities and climate.” The report says that the world is “not moving fast enough”, with about half of all regions assessed reporting a decline in the adoption of sustainable soil management practices, while only about 10 percent show real progress. FAO researchers say the problem is more about failure to scale up practices such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, organic amendments, residue retention, terracing, and improved fertilizer and nutrient management. To reverse the trend, FAO and the ITPS are calling for governments and partners to take five broad categories of action: strengthening soil governance and legal frameworks; investing in education and capacity building; improving soil assessment and monitoring; creating financial and policy incentives that reward farmers and land managers for protecting soil health; and deepening partnerships among governments, scientists, farmers, Indigenous Peoples, the private sector and civil society. “We have to remove the barriers that prevent the assessment and adoption of sustainable soil management,” said Rosa Poch, who chaired the ITPS from 2018 to 2025. Her successor, Brajesh Singh, ITPS Chair for 2025–2028, struck a similar note of urgency. “Healthy soils are one of our greatest natural allies,” he said. “We already know how to protect them. Now is the time to pContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:58:00 +0300

Kenya Red Cross warns 46 Counties face El Niño Flood Risk The Kenya Red Cross Society has warned that 46 of the country’s 47 counties could receive above-average rainfall in the coming months, raising the possibility of widespread flooding during the October–December short-rains season. Turkana is the only county not placed squarely in the above-average rainfall category. Kenya Red Cross Emergency Response Manager Antony Muchiri said inadequate drainage, development along natural waterways and other existing vulnerabilities could magnify the effects of the anticipated El Niño rains. “Forty-six out of Kenya’s 47 counties are at risk of receiving above-average rainfall. If the systems are not in place to manage it, flooding will occur,” Muchiri said on Tuesday. He said heavy rainfall becomes a disaster when the ground cannot absorb the volume of water and natural outlets into rivers and the ocean are obstructed. “Construction along flood paths will inevitably worsen flooding, while improper disposal of waste will block drainage systems and further increase the risk of flooding,” he said. Muchiri said soil erosion and the accumulation of silt in rivers and drainage channels could also contribute to flooding. Although many of the country’s flood paths are already known, settlements and infrastructure have continued to encroach on some of them. Preparations are underway across the country, according to the Red Cross. They include clearing and expanding drainage systems, issuing early warnings, sensitising communities in high-risk areas and preparing evacuation plans. Muchiri, however, cautioned that weaknesses in Kenya’s disaster-preparedness systems could still result in deaths and extensive property damage. “There is a lot happening behind the scenes in preparation for El Niño, but with the systems we have in place, we are still likely to suffer significant loss of lives and extensive damage,” he said. He urged national and county authorities to use existing flood-risk information when approving settlements and infrastructure projects, noting that Kenya has often concentrated on responding to disasters instead of preventing them. Muchiri also called for shelter materials, rescue equipment and other emergency supplies to be positioned before families are displaced. “We need all hands on deck. It starts at the household level, then the community and ultimately the government. The buck stops with the government,” he said. Red Cross team on its rescue mission in Kenya. | Courtesy The Red Cross warning follows an official seasonal forecast issued on August 31 by the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority, which expects above-average rainfall in most of the country during the October–December season. The forecast says the rains could continue into January in western Kenya, the Rift Valley, central Kenya and parts of the southeast. El Niño is the warm phase of a recurring climate pattern caused by changes in sea-surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean. In East Africa, it can enhance rainfall, particularly when it occurs alongside a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, a pattern involving unusually warm waters in the western Indian Ocean relative to the eastern side. The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre said El Niño had already developed and was expected to strengthen during the remainder of 2026. A positive Indian Ocean Dipole was also anticipated, creating conditions that have historically produced enhanced rainfall across the region. The regional agency placed the probability of enhanced seasonal rainfall at about 90 per cent in northeastern Kenya, southern Ethiopia and central-to-southern Somalia. The latest warning comes as Kenya continues to recover from previous destructive rainy seasons. El Niño-enhanced rainfall in late 2023 was followed by exceptionally heavy long rains in early 2024. The combined crisis affected 46 counties, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. An IFRC report recorded 478 deaths, more than 240,000 affected households and over 119,000 displaced households. The rains also killed nearly 29,000 livestock, destroyed more than 65,000 acres of farmland and damaged roads, schools, health facilities and water sources. Communities that had already endured the prolonged 2021–2023 drought were among those hit by the floods, compounding livelihood losses and slowing recovery. In April 2024, water levels rose sharply in major rivers and reservoirs. Dams in the Seven Forks system began overflowing, worsening flooding along the lower Tana River, while settlements near Lake Victoria and the Nyando River remained inundated. Excessive rain may cause flash floods, landslides, waterlogging and soil erosion. Crops and livestock could be lost, transport routes disrupted and schools forced to close. It could also damage water and sanitation infrastructure, increasing the danger of cholera and other waterborne illnesses. Stagnant water and warmer temperatures may create conditions favourable for malaria, Rift Valley fever, chikungunya and other diseases. The approaching rains are expected to coincide with the school calendar, national examinations and increasing political activity ahead of the 2027 General Election, adding pressure on transport, security and emergency-Continue Reading

Big3Africa Desk wrote a new post

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:16:09 +0300

Kenya Activates Emergency Measures as El Niño Risk Rises Above 90 Per Cent By Dan Kaburu The government has activated emergency measures across the country after warning that Kenya faces a greater than 90 per cent likelihood of experiencing a strong El Niño event during the October – December short rains. The Ministry of Interior and National Administration says that national and county governments had begun implementing seven measures to reduce deaths, displacement and damage during the expected heavy rains. The measures include clearing drainage systems, preparing evacuation centres, monitoring rivers and dams, inspecting critical infrastructure, strengthening community early-warning systems, positioning relief supplies near vulnerable areas and placing emergency teams on standby. “Authorities are unclogging and desilting drains, culverts and other water channels to reduce flooding, particularly in urban areas. The government has identified drainage choke points and directed agencies, including the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, to clear them. “Officials are also preparing to evacuate people living on riparian land, in low-lying settlements and other flood-prone areas. Temporary holding grounds have been identified for households that may be displaced,” the ministry said in a statement. It added that water levels in rivers, lakes and dams will be monitored as the rains intensify. “Bridges, roads and essential utilities in vulnerable areas are also being inspected to identify weaknesses that could result in infrastructure failure or isolate communities.” Clogged drainages in some informal settlements in the city of Nairobi | Courtesy According to the ministry, chiefs, assistant chiefs and Nyumba Kumi representatives will be used to relay warnings and preparedness information at the community level. The ministry said rapid-response teams had been placed on standby for search-and-rescue operations, evacuations and assessments after disasters. The preparations involve county governments, security agencies, the Kenya Red Cross Society, the National Drought Management Authority, health workers and National Government Administration Officers. “Preparedness should not be mistaken for an absence of risk,” the ministry warned, saying intense rainfall could quickly overwhelm drainage networks, rivers and critical infrastructure. Kenya’s disaster assessment has identified 18 counties facing heightened exposure to El Niño-related hazards. Tana River, Kilifi, Lamu, Mombasa and Kwale face possible flooding, storm surges, coastal erosion, displacement and infrastructure damage. Kisumu, Busia, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori could experience floods, landslides, disease outbreaks and displacement. Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu have been classified as high-risk urban centres because of blocked drainage systems, dense settlements and pressure on infrastructure. Turkana, Baringo, West Pokot and Narok face a combination of flash floods, landslides, livestock losses and food insecurity. Garissa, Wajir and Mandera could experience flooding in some areas while remaining vulnerable to water scarcity, poor pasture and livestock losses. The government has urged residents to follow evacuation orders and report blocked drains, rising water levels, damaged infrastructure and other emerging dangers before condContinue Reading

Pauline Ongaji wrote a new post

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:51:44 +0300

World on Path to Breach 1.5°C Warming Threshold, UN Warns The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that the world is likely to cross 1.5°C global warming threshold within the next few years, exposing people, economies and ecosystems to increasingly severe climate risks. However, UNEP says it is still possible to limit the extent of the temperature overshoot and eventually bring global warming back below 1.5°C if countries speed up cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The warning is contained in UNEP’s new Limiting Overshoot report, which identifies an “overshoot, peak and decline” approach as the best remaining option for limiting how high global temperatures rise and how long they remain above the 1.5°C target under the Paris Agreement. The most optimistic scenario would see global temperatures peak at 1.8°C above pre-industrial levels, while other scenarios project warming of more than 2°C. UNEP says every additional fraction of a degree above 1.5°C would increase climate risks, while prolonged periods of higher temperatures would raise the likelihood of triggering irreversible changes in the climate system. “This summer’s scorching heat, raging wildfires and deadly floods are a warning of what lies ahead. We must make the overshoot above 1.5 degrees as small and short as possible. That demands an overshoot of ambition,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. According to the report, exceeding 1.5°C would intensify extreme weather events, ecosystem loss and threats to food and water security. Human health, cities, infrastructure and economies would also face increasing damage, while low-lying coastal cities and Small Island Developing States would be particularly vulnerable. The report warns that the risk of crossing irreversible climate tipping points rises as temperatures increase and remain elevated for longer. Potential tipping points include the destabilisation of major ice sheets, degradation of the Amazon rainforest and disruption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a major system of ocean currents that helps regulate the global climate. Some impacts could occur suddenly, while others would accumulate over time. “There are no good outcomes if we remain above 1.5°C,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Across the globe, extreme heatwaves are already proving that climate impacts will strike faster, hit harder, and last longer, and this will cost more lives and cause deeper disruption.” Andersen called for faster action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen climate resilience and ensure that any period of warming above 1.5°C is as small and short as possible. UNEP says the proposed “overshoot, peak and decline” approach would require immediate and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, as countries work towards net-zero emissions. In the longer term, temperatures could decline through net-negative emissions, supported by carefully governed carbon dioxide removal. Carbon dioxide removal involves removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it through approaches such as afforestation and other methods. But UNEP stresses that carbon dioxide removal must complement and not replace deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The report says carbon dioxide removal can only credibly contribute to bringing temperatures back below 1.5°C if peak warming remains well below 2°C and residual emissions are reduced. Strong governance frameworks will also be required to ensure carbon removal is deployed responsibly and does not undermine environmental integrity or worsen inequalities. For African countries, the warning comes as communities continue to face the impacts of a changing climate, including droughts, floods, extreme rainfall, food insecurity and rising temperatures. UNEP says adaptation and mitigation must advance together, with countries prioritising measures that can both reduce emissions and strengthen resilience. Nature-based cooling, for example, can help reduce temperatures in cities while providing wider environmental benefits. However, the report warns that adaptation has limits, particularly if temperatures rise significantly above 1.5°C. UNEP says strong political will, international cooperation, effective policies, inclusive governance and climate finance will be critical to keeping the overshoot as low and brief as possible. It also argues that countries with greater historical responsibility for climate change should act faster and with greater ambition. The report further warns that returning global temperatures below 1.5°C would not reverse all climate damage. Some losses would be irreversible, while communities could be forced to relocate or change their livelihoods as environmental conditions permanently change. This could create new challenges around climate justice, political legitimacy and governance. “Every fraction of a degree matters, and every year spent in overshoot increases climate risks and the potential for irreversible losses,” said Murat Kurum, President-Designate of COP31. He called for faster electrification, reductions in methane emissions, stronger climate resilience in cities and greater protection of marine and coastal ecosystems. UNEP says the “overshoot, peak and decline” approach remains possible, but warns that immediate action is needed to keep itContinue Reading

Dan Kaburu wrote a new post

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:16:49 +0300

High Electricity Costs Threaten Kenya’s Universal Access Goal High electricity prices could undermine Kenya’s plan to achieve universal energy access by 2030, even as the country expands connections and generates most of its power from renewable sources. The concern has been raised by energy and climate stakeholders during a Nairobi workshop on Kenya’s implementation of Mission 300, a joint initiative by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Bank Group to connect an additional 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030. Under Kenya’s Mission 300 National Energy Compact, African governments are preparing National Energy Compacts covering electricity-sector reforms, grid expansion, renewable energy, clean cooking and private investment. The initiative combines national-grid connections with mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems for remote and underserved communities. During the workshop supported by Christian Aid through the Africa Energy Advocacy Project, it was noted that civil society and interfaith actors are key connectors in advancing Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) and inclusive energy access, highlighting the trusted community reach and social accountability that faith institutions bring to Kenya’s energy transition. Kenya’s National Energy Compact seeks to increase electricity access from about 75 per cent to 100 per cent by 2030, expand renewable generation and provide universal access to clean cooking. However, participants warned that a household connection does not guarantee access if families cannot afford to use electricity. “Power bills remain very high. In homes where rural electrification has been successful, many families cannot cope with the bills and therefore return to fuelwood,” Vihiga Governor Dr Wilber Ottichilo said. Reliance on firewood, charcoal and other polluting fuels exposes households to harmful smoke. An estimate cited during the workshop attributed about 27,000 deaths in Kenya each year to household air pollution, with women and children facing the greatest exposure. Ottichilo said high power costs were also encouraging county governments to install decentralised renewable-energy systems instead of relying entirely on the national grid. “Vihiga County is solarising water projects, street lighting and other facilities that require electricity to reduce expensive Kenya Power bills,” he said. According to the governor, about 20 counties have developed green-energy policies, with some allocating between two and five per cent of their budgets to renewable-energy programmes. Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG) chairman Dr John Kioli called for faster implementation of the transition to affordable renewable energy. “It is time for Kenya and the continent to implement the green energy transition and address the critical need for energy in homes to power Africa’s development,” Kioli said. Participants called for civil society, faith organisations and local communities to be involved in implementing and monitoring Kenya’s compact. They said success should be measured not just by the number of connections installed, but also by whether households receive reliable electricity at prices they can afford. “The civil society and faith actors are essential partners in making sure investment reaches the communities that need it most.” Said, Elizabeth Wanja, Coordinator, KCCWG. The workshop presented a communiqué for a collective commitment to strengthen CSO and inter-faith coordination, promote meaningful participation in Mission 300 and national energy planning. “This gives CSOs and faith actors a practical, structured way to engage AfDB and government on energy investment decisions that affect their communities.” Said, Jacqueline Kimeu, Energy and Climate Change Advisor,Continue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:09:16 +0300

Lake Bogoria Overflow Threatens Baringo’s Freshwater Ecosystem Rising water levels in Kenya’s Rift Valley are threatening to create a connection between saline Lake Bogoria and freshwater Lake Baringo, potentially exposing fish, aquatic habitats and fishing communities to a damaging change in water chemistry. The immediate danger is that Bogoria could overflow towards Baringo, carrying dissolved salts and highly alkaline water into an ecosystem that supports freshwater species. The greatest concern is a change in conditions beyond what Baringo’s freshwater organisms can tolerate. Sustained high pH can damage fish gills, skin and eyes, reduce growth and reproduction, and ultimately cause deaths. It can also increase the toxicity of ammonia already present in the water. Damage could extend through the food chain, because changes affecting plankton and aquatic invertebrates could reduce food for fish, while declining fish populations would affect predators and fishing livelihoods. Sensitive organisms could also disappear from affected areas while more tolerant species become dominant. For lakeside households, ecological disruption could translate into reduced catches, lost earnings and greater pressure on food supplies as significant salinisation could restrict the suitability of water for irrigation and other uses. A 2024 study in the Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies placed Bogoria’s spill point at approximately 1,000.2 metres above sea level. At its 2020 maximum, the lake needed to rise only another 70 centimetres to reach that threshold. However, its level subsequently declined by about 1.5 metres by 2023, demonstrating why historical measurements cannot establish today’s overflow risk. Bogoria’s own ecology is already under pressure from rising freshwater inputs. Kenya Wildlife Service says dilution of saline lakes changes the conditions needed by Arthrospira fusiformis, the microscopic cyanobacterium commonly called spirulina that feeds lesser flamingos. When that food supply declines, flamingos move elsewhere. KWS reports that changing lake chemistry has affected Bogoria, Nakuru and Elementaita. Research points to increased rainfall as a principal driver of the regional rise. A 2021 analysis of Baringo, Bogoria, Nakuru, Solai, Elementaita and Naivasha linked their expansion to changes in rainfall and water balance. Many Rift Valley lakes lack surface outlets, making them sensitive to persistent surpluses: when rainfall and inflows exceed evaporation and other losses, water accumulates Climate change adds to the risk, but does not provide a complete explanation for every lake’s fluctuations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects increasingly intense heavy rainfall in eastern Africa. Natural variability, including El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole, also influences rainfall, particularly during the short-rains season. Catchment degradation compounds the problem. A 2025 European Commission Joint Research Centre assessment documented forest loss, expanding cropland and increasing soil erosion around five Kenyan Rift Valley lakes. Degraded land can accelerate runoff and deliver sediment into lakes, altering shallow areas and worsening flooding. The effects extend beyond Baringo and Bogoria. NASA reports that Naivasha’s water level rose about seven metres between 2010 and 2026, while its area expanded roughly 40 per cent, flooding homes, flower farms and infrastructure. Kenya Meteorological Department reported that levels in Nakuru, Naivasha and Turkana surpassed their 2020 peaContinue Reading

Dan Kaburu wrote a new post

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:30:44 +0300

Faith Groups Urged to Prepare Shelters Ahead of Anticipated El Niño Faith leaders in Kenya have been urged to prepare emergency shelters and set aside funds to help communities at risk of flooding during the October–December rainy season. Dr John Kioli, chairman of the Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG), called on religious institutions to prepare early, warning that residents of informal settlements and people with disabilities could face particular difficulties when floods strike. His appeal recalls the devastation of the 2024 floods, which exposed the vulnerability of densely populated neighbourhoods in Nairobi. During the March–May long rains, floodwaters inundated homes and displaced residents, with Mathare, Kibera and Mukuru among the hardest-hit informal settlements. Kioli said faith institutions could play a critical role in providing refuge and assistance, building on the longstanding role of churches, mosques, temples and other places of worship as temporary shelters for displaced families. He was speaking in Nairobi at a national capacity-building workshop for civil society organisations and faith actors on engagement with African Development Bank (AfDB) policy frameworks and the Mission 300 National Energy Compact. KCCWG organised the workshop with support from Christian Aid through the Africa Energy Advocacy Project. “With El Nino prediction showing over 80% accuracy, faith partners should be in the forefront to offer support to people who will be displaced by floods especially in the informal settlements,” Kioli said. He urged religious institutions to establish dedicated budgets for flood response and other environmental emergencies, and to ensure their preparations address the needs of people with disabilities. “Faith groups should identify where people with disabilities live and establish ways to reach them quickly during an emergency,” he said. In Nairobi’s low-income neighbourhoods, the 2024 damage was compounded by crowded housing, fragile structures and inadequate sanitation. Human Rights Watch reported severe effects in Mathare, Mukuru Kwa Njenga and Kariobangi, where flooding left residents homeless and heightened the risk of disease. For some families, the 2024 crisis extended beyond the floodwaters as authorities demolished homes in Mathare and Mukuru as part of efforts to clear flood-prone areas, adding to the upheaval facing residents alrContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:17:38 +0300

Horn Of Africa Steps Up Displacement Forecasts As El Niño Raises Flood Risk The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) is strengthening efforts to forecast displacement caused by droughts and floods across the Greater Horn of Africa, as El Niño raises the risk of heavy rainfall that could damage homes, crops and infrastructure. The initiative will combine climate forecasts with information on livelihoods, poverty and previous population movements to help governments and humanitarian agencies identify threatened communities and act before people are forced to flee. This comes as the region prepares for potentially wetter conditions. An August 2026 outlook from ICPAC and national weather services have indicated an increased likelihood of above-normal rainfall during October to December, linked to a strengthening El Niño and conditions in the Indian Ocean. The ICPAC’s displacement forecasting approach was discussed at a regional consultation in Machakos, Kenya, under the Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change project (MoDIAC). The project brings together ICPAC, the Danish Refugee Council, IGAD member states, GIZ and other technical partners. Regional Experts Meet to Strengthen Action on Disaster Risk Management and Mobility, December, 2026 | Courtesy “Climate-related mobility is not caused by climate hazards alone,” ICPAC said in its summary of the meeting. “Poverty, conflict, dependence on farming and livestock, and weak preparedness can determine whether a drought or flood forces people to leave. Families with limited savings or access to assistance may struggle to recover after losing a harvest, livestock or a home.” ICPAC already produces forecasts showing likely rainfall conditions one to three months ahead, and MoDIAC aims to link these forecasts with data on vulnerable communities to estimate where displacement could occur, how many people could be affected and what assistance they might need. The information could help authorities position food and other supplies before roads are cut off, protect livestock and infrastructure, and issue warnings that give communities time to prepare or evacuate. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says extreme weather and climate change are worsening hunger, insecurity and displacement across Africa, with droughts and floods The World Bank estimates that up to 86 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa could become internal climate migrants by 2050 under a pessimistic scenario. It identifies water scarcity, declining crop productivity and other slow-developing climate impacts as pressureContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 16:21:01 +0300

Study Links Climate Change to Unprecedented El Niño Intensity Climate change may be making El Niño and its far-reaching weather disruptions more intense than at any time in the past 1,000 years, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Science on August 27, found that ocean-temperature variations associated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), have been substantially greater during the past 40 years than during the pre-industrial period. ENSO is a naturally occurring fluctuation between unusually warm conditions, known as El Niño, and unusually cool conditions, called La Niña, in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Although it begins thousands of kilometres from Africa, the cycle alters atmospheric circulation and can shift rainfall, temperature and storm patterns worldwide. Researchers found that eastern-Pacific ENSO temperature variability during the past four decades was 36.5 per cent greater than during the pre-industrial period between AD 1000 and 1850. It was also 16.2 per cent greater than during the period from 1850 to 1981. The study, led by University of Michigan palaeoclimatologist Julia Cole, provides some of the strongest observational evidence yet that human-caused global warming is changing the behaviour of this natural climate cycle. “ENSO is the leading source of year-to-year climate extremes globally,” the researchers say. El Niño often favours increased rainfall in East Africa during the October-to-December short-rains season. Its effects can become especially powerful when it coincides with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), another ocean pattern involving warmer-than-normal water in the western Indian Ocean. The latest regional outlook has made the new study particularly relevant. The World Meteorological Organization says the Greater Horn of Africa is likely to experience warmer and wetter-than-usual conditions during the October to December short rains as the current El Niño strengthens. Parts of north-eastern Kenya have a 90 per cent probability of above-normal rainfall, while sections of central Kenya and the Lake Victoria Basin could receive more than 400 millimetres during the season. The October-to-December rains provide as much as 70 per cent of annual rainfall in some parts of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, making disruption during this period especially consequential for farming and food security. WMO cautions that the forecast also points to greater risks of flooding, crop destruction, disease and infrastructure damage⁠. Each El Niño behaves differently, however. Its effects depend on its strength, location, duration and interaction with the Indian Ocean and other climate systems. While it is commonly associated with wetter short rains in the Horn of Africa, it can suppress rainfall across parts of Southern Africa. Previous events have contributed to major crop losses, livestock deaths, reduced hydropower generation and rising food prices in countries already facing poverty, conflContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 16:09:29 +0300

Mount Kenya Remaining Glacier to Disappear in Three Years Mount Kenya has lost nearly 96 per cent of its glacier area since the beginning of the twentieth century, leaving the Kenya’s highest mountain with only scattered patches of ice that scientists expect to disappear by 2030. The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Africa 2025 report shows that glacier cover on Mount Kenya declined from 1.64 square kilometres in 1906 to just 0.07 square kilometres in 2021/2022. The decline is the most severe by proportion among Africa’s three surviving glacier systems. The others are on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and the Rwenzori Mountains along the Uganda –Democratic Republic of the Congo border. Together, the three mountains have lost more than 90 per cent of their glacier area since the late nineteenth century, according to WMO. Kilimanjaro’s ice shrank from 11.4 square kilometres in 1900 to about 0.98 square kilometres in recent years. In the Rwenzori Mountains, glacier cover fell from 6.51 square kilometres in 1906 to 0.38 square kilometres by 2021/2022, meaning that Mount Kenya now has the smallest surviving glacier area of the three. The retreat is visible on Lewis Glacier, historically the mountain’s largest and most closely studied ice body. Research published in the journal Geosciences found that Lewis Glacier lost 46 per cent of its surface area and 57 per cent of its volume between 2004 and 2016. Its deterioration accelerated after 2010 as thinning ice exposed a rock outcrop that split the glacier into separate sections. Smaller and disconnected ice patches have more edges exposed to sunlight, warmer air and heated rock, making them more vulnerable than a continuous glacier. Climate change is creating the conditions driving this retreat, although the process is more complicated than warm air simply melting the ice. A glacier survives when snow accumulating on its surface is sufficient to replace ice lost through melting, sublimation and other processes. A study of Lewis Glacier published in The Cryosphere found that the glacier is receiving insufficient snowfall while experiencing enhanced ice loss. Its condition is particularly sensitive to atmospheric moisture, which controls snowfall, cloud formation and the amount of sunlight absorbed by the surface. Rising temperatures intensify the problem by lifting the atmospheric freezing level, increasing melting and causing some precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow. Mount Kenya and the Rwenzori glaciers lie close to the regional freezing level, making them particularly sensitive to relatively small temperature changes. The central part of Mount Kenya with Batian (front) and Nelion (back) and typical afroalpine vegetation of Giant Lobelias and Giant Groundsel. The western rock face with the melting glaciers of Mt. Kenya. | Courtesy (Martin Zwick/REDA&CO Kilimanjaro is different because much of its ice lies well above the average freezing level. Research indicates that reduced atmospheric moisture and snowfall, followed by radiation-driven ice loss, have played especially important roles there. In the Rwenzori Mountains, scientists have identified rising temperatures, reduced cloud cover and increased solar radiation as interacting causes. These local processes are unfolding within a wider warming trend. WMO reports that Africa has been warming faster than the global average and that its warming rate since 1991 has been substantially higher than during preceding 30-year periods. Africa’s average land temperature in 2025 was approximately 0.51°C above the 1991–2020 average. Mount Kenya feeds tributaries of the Tana and Ewaso Ng’iro systems, including the Naro Moru, Nanyuki, Burguret, Likii, Kathita, Nyamindi, Thiba and Sagana rivers. These waters support homes, farms, wildlife, irrigation and electricity generation. However, the major rivers are not sustained principally by the remaining glaciers. Rainfall, montane forests, high-altitude wetlands, soils and groundwater provide most downstream flow. Water captured by the mountain’s forests and moorlands infiltrates the ground and is gradually released through springs and rivers. Evidence from the Rwenzori Mountains demonstrates the limited contribution of the surviving ice to large rivers. Field measurements found that glacier melt accounted for considerably less than two per cent of river discharge at the base of the mountains during both wet and dry periods. Mount Kenya’s glaciers may still influence small headwater streams and high-altitude lakes and their disappearance could change water temperature, seasonal flow, sediment and water chemistry near the summit, affecting aquatic organisms adapted to cold conditions. But declining downstream river flows cannot credibly be attributed to glacier loss alone. Rainfall variability, forest degradation, groundwater changes and increasing human abstraction are likely to have much larger effects. The environmental loss extends beyond river volumes. Retreating ice exposes unstable rock and debris, potentially increasing local rockfalls and slope failure. Alpine plants and animals confined to cold environments face shrinking habitats, while glacier-fed tarns and streams may undergo permanent ecological changes. Economically, the disappearance threatens an important element of East Africa’s tourism identity. The ice-capped peaks of Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro and the Rwenzori draw climbers, hikers and researchers from around the world. Vanishing ice will alter scenery, climbing conditions and some established routes, although no reliable assessment has quantified the tourism revenue specifically attributable to the glaciers. Mount Kenya is also a national park, biosphere reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its glaciers form part of the landscape’s scientific, cultural and spiritual significance, particularly for communities that regard thContinue Reading

Correspondent wrote a new post

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 15:26:41 +0300

How Women in Narok are Restoring Land and Reshaping Lives By Juliet Akoth Ojwang Before dawn breaks over Eor Ewaso, a village in Narok County, Judy Mukut is already awake. By 6:30 a.m., she has fetched water, milked the family’s cattle, prepared breakfast, cleaned the house and seen her children off to school. Only then does she leave for a resource center run by the Paran Women Group, where another day of conservation work begins. For Mukut, conserving the Mau Forest must fit into the few hours left after fulfilling the responsibilities expected of her as a Maasai wife and mother. Yet this balancing act reflects a quieter transformation taking place across one of Kenya’s most important forest ecosystems. As Indigenous women restore degraded sections of the forest, they are also earning independent incomes, participating in household decisions and reviving traditional ecological knowledge that sustained their communities for generations. Founded in 2005, the Paran Women Group has grown into a network of 64 registered Indigenous women’s groups, primarily drawn from Maasai and Ogiek communities in Narok County, with members also in West Pokot and Samburu counties. Through community-managed tree nurseries, kitchen gardens, village savings groups, beekeeping and landscape restoration, Paran has connected environmental conservation with women’s empowerment. To coordinate its expanding network, Paran established seven community resource centers that serve as demonstration and learning sites where women raise seedlings, receive technical training and exchange traditional knowledge. “The work has taught us how to organize ourselves,” Mukut said. “Even with all the responsibilities at home, we have learned that if we plan our day well, we can still attend meetings, take care of our families and contribute to restoring the environment. We are no longer waiting for other people to make decisions because we know our contribution matters.” With funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Vi Agroforestry has supported Paran’s members in using agroforestry as a practical bridge between landscape restoration and household well-being. By integrating trees with crops, women can improve soil health and farm resilience, diversify their incomes and reduce pressure on surrounding forests. The support has strengthened a model designed around women’s daily realities. Tree nurseries, kitchen gardens and other livelihood activities are established close to women’s homes, allowing them to participate without abandoning their family responsibilities. The approach recognizes that lasting restoration depends not only on planting trees but also on strengthening the people who care for them. For Nancy Letina, chairperson of Namaiyana Women’s Group within the Paran network, joining the organization in 2021 transformed both her understanding of conservation and her family’s economic future. Esther Kigen, an Ogiek woman and member of the Paran-affiliated Masi group, tends leafy vegetables at a farm in Eor Ewaso village. Courtesy Juliet Ojwang. “Previously, as Maasai women, we depended on our husbands for everything, even household items like salt,” Letina said. Her circumstances changed dramatically in 2019 when her husband died, leaving her responsible for providing for their four children. The first two years were difficult. Together with several women facing similar hardships in Olomaiayana-Iltirben village in Melelo Ward, Letina formed a self-help group whose members supported one another during times of need. Their prospects began to improve when the group joined Paran and received training in sustainable livelihood activities. “We gained knowledge that showed us that every woman can also fend for herself,” Letina said. “Today, women have their own income. We can pay school fee arrears when our children are sent home and respond to emergencies without waiting for assistance.” Her group manages a 0.2-hectare tree nursery where members grow Indigenous species that supports biodiversity, contributes to forest restoration and widely used in traditional medicine. Since joining Paran, Letina’s group has sold 10,600 Indigenous tree seedlings to the organization, with the proceeds supporting individual members and collective activities. Members also participate in village savings and loan programs with weekly contributions of as little as 100 Kenyan shillings, allowing women to borrow between 2,000 and 8,000 shillings during emergencies. These loans help families pay school fees, invest in small businesses or purchase livestock without resorting to cutting trees for charcoal or harvesting timber. Esther Kigen, a member of the Masi Group, said Paran’s training on women’s rights has encouraged women to participate in family decisions traditionally reserved for men. For Ntoiye Kimorgo of Naretoi Women’s Group, restoration is equally about protecting Indigenous knowledge. A traditional herbal practitioner, she encourages every woman in her group to plant native medicinal trees alongside vegetables because the plants remain central to Maasai health care and culture. “These trees have always helped us treat different illnesses,” Kimorgo said. “If they disappear, we lose more than a forest. We lose knowledge that has been passed from our grandparents to us. Every woman in our group has planted medicinal trees because we know their value.” Older women mentor younger members through storytelling, seed collection, nursery management and demonstrations of the medicinal uses of native plants. Kitchen gardens producing kale, jute mallow, amaranth and other traditional vegetables improve household nutrition while generating additional income through local markets. Paran Executive Director Naiyan Kiplagat said the organization’s work has always been about more than restoring degraded forests. From the outset, Paran sought to address the environmental and social challenges facing Indigenous women simultaneously, recognizing that conservation cannot be sustained without strengthening the communities that depend on the forest. Unlike restoration initiatives that prioritize fast-growing exotic trees, Paran focuses mainly on Indigenous species that once dominated the Mau ecosystem. For Kiplagat, who is Ogiek and connected to the Maasai community through marriage, protecting these species also means protecting the knowledge associated with them. “We believe in traditional knowledge, innovation and collective action,” she said. “If our elders leave without passing that knowledge to the younger generation, then we lose something very important. Conservation is not only about planting trees. It is also about making sure our children understand why those trees matter.” Paran has also received support from several development partners. These include TerraFund under the AFR100 Landscapes program, an initiative supported by the World Resources Institute, and the United Nations Development Programme’s Climate Promise, which combines agroforestry with community-resilience activities. Members of different women’s groups distributing indigenous tree seedlings to be planted in Mau. | Courtesy Paran Women Group Kiplagat said these partnerships have demonstrated that Indigenous women can lead restoration at scale when they receive adequate financial and technical support. Paran’s achievements have also gained international recognition, including the Gender Justice Climate Solutions Award presented during COP28 in Dubai in 2023. The Kenya Forest Service has become one of Paran’s closest technical partners. It provides guidance on species selection, nursery establishment, site matching and restoration methods, while the women mobilize communities and raise Indigenous seedlings. Frederick Kibichi, a forester in Narok South Sub-county, said the partnership has produced encouraging ecological results despite increasingly frequent droughts. Beyond restoring forest blocks, Paran has supplied Indigenous seedlings to schools and community tree-planting activities. Humphrey Omollo, an assistant county commissioner for Ololulunga Division in Narok South Sub-county, said government participation in these activities strengthens community ownership while recognizing women as environmental leaders. Although agroforestry can restore degraded landscapes and strengthen livelihoods, dryland agroforestry has historically received limited political attention. The East African Dryland Agroforestry Expert Group was established through the support of VI Agroforestry to help address this gap by providing policymakers with scientific evidence, practical knowledge and community perspectives. The transformation is reshaping local expectations. Men have begun creating groups affiliated with Paran after witnessing women improve their livelihoods through tree nurseries, kitchen gardens and savings programs. Vincent Leteipa, a 31-year-old resident of Eor Ewaso, said he was inspired by women in his community who had strengthened their livelihoods through these activities. For Mukut and hundreds of other Indigenous women, restoring the Mau Forest is about far more than repairing a damaged ecosystem. It is about creating livelihoods that reduce pressure on the forest, safeguarding traditional ecological knowledge and demonstrating that conservation is strongest when the people who have lived alongside a landscape for generations are trusted to lead its recovery. Through Vi Agroforestry’s support and the Expert Group’s policy engagement, their experience is also helping shape a wider understanding of women-led agroforestry. The work taking place in Paran shows that restoring East Africa’s vulnerable landscapes about strengthening livelihoods, sharing power and ensuring that community knowledge reaches the tables where decisions are made. The article has been republished from Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2026/08/meet-the-indigenous-women-restoring-kenyas-Continue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 18:00:54 +0300

Kenya Met Warns of Intense Short Rains as El Niño Strengthens Kenya is likely to experience unusually heavy rainfall during the October-to-December short-rains season, with some areas facing an 85 to 90 per cent likelihood of above-normal rainfall, according to a national forecast issued on Wednesday, August 26. The Kenya Meteorological Service Authority said the expected strengthening of El Niño, together with evolving conditions in the Indian Ocean, could increase rainfall over large parts of the country. Some areas may begin receiving pre-season showers in September before the main rains become established in October. The outlook was released at the conclusion of the 13th National Climate Outlook Forum, held from August 24 to 26 to assess the likely performance and effects of the 2026 short rains. The wettest conditions are expected over parts of the Coast, north-eastern Kenya, the Lake Victoria Basin, central highlands and Rift Valley. Nairobi and other major urban centres are also exposed to flooding if intense rainfall overwhelms drainage systems. Kenya Met, however, cautioned that the presence of El Niño does not guarantee heavy rainfall in every part of the country. “Under evolving El Niño conditions, preparedness must be strengthened. However, El Niño does not automatically mean heavy rainfall everywhere; other atmospheric and oceanic factors must continue to be monitored,” Kenya Met Director Edward Muriuki said during the opening of the forum. El Niño is a periodic warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that alters atmospheric circulation and rainfall patterns around the world. In East Africa, it is often associated with wetter short-rains seasons, but its local influence depends partly on conditions in the Indian Ocean. A positive Indian Ocean Dipole, in which waters in the western Indian Ocean become warmer than those in the east, can direct additional moisture towards East Africa and intensify rainfall. The combination of El Niño and a positive dipole contributed to severe flooding in Kenya in 1997 and 2023. The national outlook is consistent with a regional forecast released by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre on August 18. The regional assessment⁠� gives north-eastern Kenya a greater than 90 per cent probability of receiving above-normal rainfall. It also indicates that central Kenya and the Lake Victoria Basin have a greater than 90 per cent probability of accumulating more than 400 millimetres of rain between October and December. Early or normal onset is more likely in central and eastern Kenya, although the precise timing will differ between locations. The forecast presents mixed prospects for farmers and pastoralists. Adequate rainfall could improve soil moisture, replenish water sources and support the recovery of pasture in arid and semi-arid counties. Farmers could also benefit from a longer growing period if they receive timely advice on planting dates and suitable crops. Excessive rain, however, could waterlog farms, wash away seed and fertiliser and destroy crops nearing maturity. Flooding could kill livestock, restrict access to grazing areas and markets, and increase outbreaks of animal diseases. Communities living near the Tana, Athi-Galana-Sabaki, Nzoia, Nyando, Ewaso Ng’iro, Kerio, Turkwel and Mara river systems face additional danger because heavy rainfall upstream can send large volumes of water into downstream settlements, even where local rainfall is not exceptionally high. The government has identified 18 counties requiring priority preparedness because of their exposure to flooding, landslides, drought, food insecurity and disease outbreaks. They include Tana River, Kilifi, Lamu, Kwale, Busia, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Turkana, West Pokot, Narok, Baringo, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera. Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu have been listed among the high-risk urban centres. In Nairobi, informal settlements located near rivers and poorly drained neighbourhoods face the greatest danger. Blocked drainage channels, construction on waterways and inadequate storm-water systems can turn intense rainfall into destructive flash floods within hours. Hilly areas of West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Murang’a, Nyeri, Meru, Narok and parts of the western highlands could experience landslides where prolonged rain saturates soils. Road cuts, cultivated slopes and areas stripped of vegetation may be especially unstable. Public-health risks could also rise. Floodwater can contaminate wells and piped-water systems, while stagnant water provides breeding sites for mosquitoes. Damage to roads and bridges may interrupt access to schools, hospitals and markets. Kenya Met said forecasts must be translated into early decisions rather than treated merely as warnings. “Climate information must be understandable, relevant and actionable,” Muriuki said. County governments now have several weeks to clear drains, inspect bridges, reinforce vulnerable riverbanks, mark evacuation routes and prepare temporary shelters. Farmers and pastoralists will require local advisories because the national forecast does not mean that rain will begin on the same date or fall evenly iContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:39:54 +0300

Climate Money Risks Deepening Africa’s Soil and Biodiversity Crisis – Report Billions of dollars intended to help Africa adapt to climate change could become a new source of funding for the input-intensive agricultural model blamed for degrading soils, reducing crop diversity and expanding cultivation onto more land, a new report warns. The report, The Green Revolution Has Failed Africa, argues that climate finance is becoming increasingly important to agricultural programmes as traditional bilateral support declines. But without stricter tests, it says, projects built around commercial seeds, synthetic fertiliser and large-scale production could be labelled climate adaptation even when there is little evidence that they make farmers more resilient. Published by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), the report examines 18 years of agricultural data from 13 countries prioritised by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Its warning centres partly on the Green Climate Fund’s US$105 million RE-GAIN programme, implemented with AGRA to reduce post-harvest food losses. The report acknowledges that preventing such losses can support adaptation, but calls for clear criteria to ensure climate funding does not sustain input-intensive production without demonstrating gains in resilience. It also points to the African Development Bank, which reported US$5.9 billion, or 54 percent of its 2025 approvals, as climate finance. AFSA wants the bank to disclose how much climate-labelled agricultural funding supports fertiliser-dependent systems and to redirect a growing share towards diversified, low-input and agroecological farming. The report’s concern is that a change in funding language may not amount to a change in the underlying agricultural model. For instance, programmes once justified by the need to raise yields and modernise farming can now be presented as climate-smart or adaptive, even where their environmental and livelihood outcomes remain uncertain. Across the 13 AGRA focus countries, fertiliser use more than doubled between 2006 and 2024, but weighted staple-crop yields grew by an average of 1.2 percent annually. That was slightly below the 1.3 percent annual growth recorded during the 12 years preceding AGRA’s launch, according to the report. Cropped land, meanwhile, expanded by 46 percent. The authors argue that this shows production increases came partly from putting more land under cultivation rather than achieving the promised gains in productivity on existing farms. Such expansion carries direct environmental costs where it involves forests, grazing areas, wetlands or already degraded land. It can also increase pressure on water and expose soils to erosion, particularly where the new cultivation is dominated by a small number of crops. The changing crop mix is another concern. The report says millet and sorghum declined from 26 percent to 16 percent of cultivated land across the focus countries as maize production expanded by 71 percent while yields rose by 40 percent. Millet and sorghum are generally more tolerant of dry conditions than maize. Their decline could therefore leave farmers more exposed to drought and erratic rainfall, the very risks that climate-adaptation finance is intended to address. It may also narrow diets, local food cultures and the genetic diversity available to farmers as weather conditions change. The report further associates continuous use of synthetic fertiliser with soil acidification, especially when fertiliser is applied without sufficient organic matter or appropriate soil management. Degraded soil retains less water, supports fewer organisms and can become increasingly expensive to farm as producers depend on repeated external inputs. Synthetic fertiliser can raise yields where soils are nutrient-deficient, and the report does not call for an immediate ban. It argues that fertiliser should not remain the organising principle of African agricultural investment while longer-term soil health and farmer dependence receive inadequate attention. AFSA advocates diversified agroecological systems that integrate crops, trees and livestock; maintain ground cover; rebuild soil organic matter; and support locally adapted, farmer-managed seed. According to the report, these practices can improve water retention and give farmers more options when rainfall, pestsContinue Reading

Dan Kaburu wrote a new post

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:18:39 +0300

Subsidized Fertilizer, Seeds Fails to Stem Rising Hunger in Kenya, Report Says Kenya’s population of chronically undernourished people more than doubled to over 20 million during nearly two decades in which the country promoted commercial seeds, synthetic fertiliser and input subsidies, according to a new report questioning the results of Africa’s Green Revolution model. The report, The Green Revolution Has Failed Africa, says Kenya’s experience reflects a wider regional pattern where governments and donors increased support for fertiliser and improved seed, but staple-crop productivity did not accelerate and hunger continued to rise. Published by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), the study examines data from 2006 to 2024 in 13 countries prioritised by AGRA, formerly the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. They include Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Burkina Faso and Niger. Across those countries, fertiliser use more than doubled, while the weighted yield of staple crops grew by an average of 1.2 percent a year. That was slightly below the 1.3 percent annual growth recorded during the 12 years before AGRA was launched in 2006, the report says. At the same time, cultivated land expanded by 46 percent, suggesting that much of the additional food production came from bringing more land under crops rather than producing substantially more from existing farmland. “This is expansion, not agricultural transformation,” the report says. The findings challenge a central promise of the input-led approach, which argued that wider use of commercial seed and fertiliser would rapidly raise yields and farmer incomes, ultimately reducing hunger. AGRA initially pledged to double yields and incomes for 30 million smallholder households and halve food insecurity by 2020. The report says those targets were not achieved. For Kenya, its most striking claim is that the number of undernourished people more than doubled to over 20 million. Across all 13 focus countries, the number rose by 58 percent, from 94.6 million to 149.6 million. The report does not establish that fertiliser or AGRA’s activities caused the increase in hunger. Kenya’s population grew substantially over the period, while drought, the Covid-19 pandemic, high food and fuel prices, income inequality and disruptions in global grain and fertiliser markets also affected access to food. Hunger totals should therefore be considered alongside population-adjusted prevalence rates. Government food subsidy in a warehouse. | Courtesy FoodBusiness Nevertheless, the authors argue that the figures undermine the assumption that subsidised inputs and higher production automatically produce affordable food, improved diets or better household incomes. Kenya has committed considerable public money to that model. Citing AGRA’s own policy studies, the report puts Kenyan fertiliser-subsidy spending at about US$72 million a year between 2017 and 2022, the highest figure cited among the countries reviewed. It also refers to commissioned research that found no significant effect on net crop income in Kenya. These claims raise questions about value for money, who receives subsidised inputs and whether spending on fertiliser has displaced investment in extension, local seed systems, soil restoration, storage and markets. The report is not an argument for abruptly withdrawing support from farmers, many of whom depend on subsidies to afford inputs. Instead, it calls for governments to redirect part of their existing subsidy budgets towards diversified agroecological farming, public extension and farmer-managed seed systems. The environmental implications are also significant. Across the focus countries, the share of farmland planted with millet and sorghum fell from 26 percent to 16 percent as maize cultivation expanded. Millet and sorghum are generally better adapted to dry conditions, and the report argues that their decline weakens resilience to erratic rainfall while narrowing diets and on-farm biodiversity. Kenya, however, is also emerging as an important test of the proposed alternative. The country launched its National Agroecology Strategy for Food System Transformation 2024–2033, with an estimated cost of Sh26.8 billion. The strategy promotes healthier soils, crop diversity, biological inputs, indigenous knowledge and reduced dependence on expensive external inputs. Implementation at national level, however, remains uncertain. The report says many African agroecology strategies have been adopted without adequate budgets, indicators or institutional support. In Kenya, it finds that evidence of field-level impact is still limited. According to the report, several county governments appear to be moving faster. Murang’a enacted an Agroecology Development Act in 2022 and adopted a 10-year policy, becoming the first Kenyan county to give agroecology the force of law. Vihiga and Makueni have since passed county policies, while Nakuru, West Pokot and Kiambu are among counties that have developed frameworks or are working on them. The contrast now presents Kenya with a policy test. It has a national agroecology strategy and increasingly ambitious county laws, but much of its agricultural spending remains tied to ferContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:39:23 +0300

Africa Pushes Drought Finance and Pastoralist Protections at COP17 African countries are pressing for stronger international action on drought, accessible restoration finance and greater protection for pastoral communities as governments negotiate new measures to combat land degradation at a United Nations conference in Mongolia. The demands reflect a continent facing the challenge of restoring degraded land quickly enough to protect food supplies, water resources and rural livelihoods as droughts become more frequent and severe due to climate change. Delegates from the 197 parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification are meeting in Ulaanbaatar from August 17 to 28 for COP17, held under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.” The negotiations cover drought resilience, land restoration, rangeland management, pastoralism, land tenure, migration, science and private-sector participation. At an African regional preparatory meeting in Cairo in June, the African Union warned that desertification, drought and land degradation pose growing threats to the continent’s food security, peace and stability. It urged African negotiators to maintain a common position at COP17 and examine proposals for a new international drought agreement. Countries in Ulaanbaatar are yet to agree on whether future drought action should be governed by a legally binding protocol or a more flexible framework. The outcome could have significant consequences for African countries regularly affected by drought as a binding protocol could create clearer obligations and stronger accountability, while a non-binding framework would give governments more freedom to determine how measures are implemented. Financing is another major point of contention. Developing countries have called for funding that is sufficient, predictable and easier to access, arguing that restoration programmes cannot depend on short-term project cycles. For governments and dryland communities in Africa, the debate reliable funding could help communities restore grazing areas, conserve water, prepare for drought and recover more quickly when rainfall fails. Pastoralism has also taken a prominent place in the talks, which coincide with the United Nations’ International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. Delegates are considering policies and investments to improve rangeland management while recognizing pastoralists’ contributions to food production, biodiversity and climate resilience. Civil society groups have called for more community-led restoration, better access to finance and stronger safeguards against activities that damage rangelands, including poorly managed mining. Those concerns are particularly relevant in the wider Horn of Africa, where millions of people depend on livestock and access to seasonal grazing. In these areas, the movement of herders and livestock can be an important adaptation strategy, allowing communities to reach pasture and water during dry periods. COP17 discussions have reflected this distinction by highlighting that drought and degraded land can force people from their homes, but planned pastoral mobility can support sustainable use of natural resources when land rights, migration routes and cross-border arrangements are protected. Participants from Africa have also called for stronger scientific capacity and closer links between research and public policy to help support better drought early-warning systems, more accurate land monitoring and restoration programmes designed around local conditions rather than uniform solutions imposed across different landscapes. Delegates are also considering initiatives on sand and dust storms and a proposed rangelands programme focused on knowledge, investment and stronger institutions. Researchers have connected these efforts to satellite monitoring, water and food planning, and the development of restoration projects capable oContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:36:22 +0300

Carbon Credits Deliver KES655 Million Boost to Northern Kenya Communities Pastoral communities across northern Kenya are set to benefit economically following the allocation of KES655.15 million from the sale of carbon credits. The money, allocated through the Northern Rangelands Trust’s 2026 Carbon Community Fund, is intended to help participating conservancies address locally identified needs while protecting the vast rangelands on which people, livestock and wildlife depend. The money comes from the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project, which seeks to increase the amount of carbon stored in soil through planned livestock grazing. When independently verified, the additional carbon is converted into credits and sold to companies seeking to compensate for part of their greenhouse-gas emissions. The allocation, disclosed in NRT’s January-June 2026 report, gives the communities a potentially significant source of funding for priorities such as education, healthcare, water infrastructure, livelihoods and conservation. NRT also allocated KES204.4 million for conservancy support and rangeland management during the reporting period. The project covers about two million hectares across 22 community conservancies. These landscapes support pastoral families and their livestock while providing habitat and migration routes for elephants, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffes and other wildlife. Its central idea is that improved grazing can help degraded rangelands recover and store additional carbon underground. Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. Some of that carbon enters the soil through roots and decomposing plant material, and healthy grasslands can therefore act as carbon stores. If independent verification shows that a project has stored an additional tonne of carbon dioxide, or avoided an equivalent amount of emissions, it may generate one carbon credit, which a company can purchase to compensate for part of its emissions. Supporters say this can give rangelands a new economic value while financing grazing management, wildlife conservation and essential services. Critics warn that credits have little climate value unless the claimed carbon gains are measurable, additional and likely to last. The project returned to active carbon market status on June 18, 2026 after international carbon standard Verra reinstated it following a quality-control review. Verra began the review after a January 2025 court ruling concerning the legal establishment of Biliqo Bulesa Conservancy, which lies within part of the project area. The ruling raised questions about community processes and project rights on unregistered community land. According to Verra, the Chari Dedha Community subsequently affirmed its participation through a process conducted in accordance with Kenya’s Community Land Act. In the case, Survival International questioned the project’s carbon calculations, grazing arrangements, boundaries, community consent and ability to retain soil carbon during increasingly severe droughts in a critical 2023 report. NRT rejected the findings, describing them as inaccurate and poorly researched. It said communities had been consulted in local languages through a free, prior and informed consent process and maintained that the project had widespread support. NRT’s latest report says more than 300 villages and community zones participated in a consent process connected to proposed governance changes. Consent is especially important in pastoral areas, where communities must move livestock in response to changing rainfall, pasture and water availability, and grazing plans designed to increase soil carbon could affect that mobility if they are not shaped by local knowledge and community decisions. Kenya has also tightened the rules governing the sector. Amendments to the Climate Change Act and the Climate Change (Carbon Markets) Regulations, 2024, introduced requirements on project approval, verification, land rights, consent, environmental integrity and benefit sharing. For land-based projects on public or community land, the regulations require an annual social contribution of at least 40 per cent of the previous year’s aggregate earnings, after the cost of doing business, for community benefit. These rules mean carbon trading is is also about who owns the land, who approved the project, what buyers paid, which costs were deducted and who decides how community revenue is used. Greater transparency will therefore be essential and communities need accessible information showing the project’s gross carbon revenue, the price received for credits, operating costs and how their share was calculated. Northern Kenya is consequently testing whether an international carbon market can accurately value carbon held in African rangelands while strengthening pastoral livelihoods and respectingContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:42:34 +0300

East Africa Told to Prepare for Climate Shocks Beyond El Niño East African governments should use the current El Niño threat to build permanent defences against extreme weather rather than rely on short-term emergency measures. According to a conservation organization, VI Agroforestry, greater investment in early-warning systems, resilient infrastructure, sustainable farming, watershed restoration and locally led adaptation are needed as the region prepares for possible floods, landslides, crop losses and displacement. The World Meteorological Organization has forecasted that a strong El Niño its developing and is expected to intensify during the August–October short rain period in East Africa. A possible positive Indian Ocean Dipole could further influence temperatures and rainfall across East Africa. According to IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (CPAC), Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia and parts of Ethiopia could receive enhanced rainfall. The rains may improve water supplies, pasture and agricultural production but also increase the risk of flash floods, river flooding and landslides Vi Agroforestry said in a statement that while governments should immediately clear drainage channels, strengthen warnings, support farmers, protect vulnerable communities and prepare emergency services, that seasonal action would not address the underlying conditions that repeatedly turn severe weather into humanitarian emergencies. “The real danger is not El Niño alone,” the organisation said. “It is extreme weather striking degraded landscapes, exhausted soils and communities whose livelihoods have little protection against climate shocks.” East Africa has experienced repeated movement between drought and destructive rainfall. The 2020–2023 drought caused widespread livestock and crop losses in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. Heavy rains and flooding then affected communities that had not fully recovered. In 2024, floods damaged homes, roads and farmland and displaced hundreds of thousands of people across Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia and Tanzania. Vi Agroforestry said the region should stop treating each flood or drought as an isolated event. “Governments should instead invest continuously in the institutions, infrastructure, livelihoods and land-use systems needed to reduce risks before extreme weather occurs,” the statement said. A drought that pushed millions of people into hunger across southern Africa has been driven mostly by the El Nino weather pattern — not climate change, scientists say | Courtesy DW The organisation identified agroforestry and Sustainable Agricultural Land Management (SALM), as important parts of that strategy. “Agroforestry combines trees with crops or livestock, while SALM includes practices such as terracing, mulching, erosion control, water harvesting, controlled grazing and restoration of degraded land,” it said. “Trees, vegetation and healthy soils can slow surface runoff, reduce erosion and help water enter the ground. Better soil structure can retain moisture during dry periods while reducing the speed at which water moves across farmland during heavy rain. “Trees may also provide fruit, animal feed, fuel, timber and income when conventional crops fail, giving farming households additional protection from climate shocks,” said the organization. A 2025 policy brief covering drylands in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania found that agroforestry could improve soil fertility and water retention while supporting land restoration and more diverse livelihoods. The report also identified governance weaknesses, land degradation and inadequate technical support as barriers to wider adoption. Vi Agroforestry called on governments to integrate agroforestry and sustainable land management into national climate commitments, adaptation plans, food-system strategies and disaster-risk-reduction frameworks. It also proposes greater investment in community-led landscape restoration, watershed protection, riverbank rehabilitation, tree nurseries and farmer-managed natural regeneration. The organisation has also called for more financing for locally led adaptation and biodiversity conservation, adding that women, young people, pastoralists and smallholders should participate as decision-makers and leaders in resilience programmes. It said that regional cooperation will be required because climate hazards and major river basins cross national borders, emphasizing that governments, climate centres, researchers, financial institutions and private businesses should coordinate preparedness and share information. It said nature-based measures would not replace drainage systems, flood-control infrastructure, early warnings or emergency response. Instead, restored landscapes and resilient farms should form another layer of protection alongside conventional infrastructure. “El Niño will pass, but climate uncertainty wilContinue Reading

Correspondent wrote a new post

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:32:32 +0300

Six People, Seven Elephants Killed as Conflict Worsens Over Resources By Waweru Wairimu Human-wildlife conflict killed six people and seven elephants across community conservancies in northern Kenya during the first half of 2026, highlighting an increasingly complex consequence of conservation gains in a region under growing environmental pressure. The Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) recorded 26 human-wildlife conflict incidents between January and June 2026, according to its biannual report. Elephants and large carnivores remained among the animals posing the greatest risks to communities. The figures reflect a difficult transition across Kenya’s northern rangelands, where stronger protection has helped wildlife populations recover and allowed elephants to reclaim or expand parts of their former range. On the other hand, communities, however, are now living alongside more wildlife as climate change intensifies pressure on water, pasture and other natural resources. NRT recorded 43 elephant deaths during the six months. Eight were attributed to poaching and seven to human-elephant conflict. Another elephant was illegally killed, one died of natural causes, and the causes of the remaining 26 deaths were unknown. Although poaching remains a serious threat, the figures show that conflict with people has become an increasingly important part of the conservation challenge. NRT wildlife assessments have reported growing populations of elephants, reticulated giraffes, Grevy’s zebras and Beisa oryx across parts of its landscape. They have also documented an expansion of elephant range and greater connectivity between Mount Kenya and Marsabit. Yet those gains have brought new pressures. The same assessments identify rising human-elephant conflict as a major concern. According to NRT, elephants cause more human deaths and injuries in its conservancies than any other wildlife species, while retaliatory and conflict-related killings have become a significant cause of elephant mortality. Kenya Wildlife Service Officers during one of the translocation exercises to help mitigate the human-wildlife conflict. | Courtesy Facebook These encounters are rooted in a wider environmental problem. Northern Kenya consists largely of arid and semi-arid land, where pastoral communities, livestock and wildlife depend on many of the same water sources, grazing areas and migration corridors. During prolonged dry periods, sharing those resources becomes increasingly difficult. While climate change does not explain every case of human-wildlife conflict, rising temperatures and increasingly severe droughts intensify existing competition by reducing available water and forage. Wildlife, livestock and people are consequently pushed towards the same resource-rich areas. As natural water points dry up and vegetation deteriorates, elephants may travel farther in search of food and water. This increases the likelihood that they will enter human settlements, farms and livestock-grazing areas, turning environmental stress into a conservation problem with direct human consequences. NRT’s report suggests that reliable community water supplies could reduce the need for people, livestock and wildlife to converge at the same natural water points. Protecting and restoring rangelands could also increase the availability of forage across the landscape, easing competition and reducing the likelihood of conflict. Such measures are likely to become more important as northern Kenya experiences more frequent and severe climate extremes. The conflict is not new. In 2018, NRT identified the area around the Naibunga and Oldonyiro conservancies as a human-elephant conflict hotspot. The area lies along a critical elephant corridor linking Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu. At the time, NRT said increasing elephant populations and movements were having a more visible impact as human settlement expanded across the landscape. Eight years later, the challenge of coexistence remains unresolved. The issue also extends beyond northern Kenya. Research published in 2025 estimated that about 70 per cent of Kenya’s wildlife lives outside protected areas. Much of the country’s conservation effort therefore depends on landscapes where people also live and earn their livelihoods. The researchers warned that competition for land and resources, including the conversion of wildlife habitat to agriculture, could intensify conflict. The next phase of conservation, the experts say, will depend not only on keeping elephants safe from poachers, but also on helping communities live safely alongside them as climate change, rangeland degradation and competition for water make coexContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:53:41 +0300

Africa Must Grow More Food Without Worsening Climate Crisis, Warns FAO Africa needs to produce more food for its growing population, but it must do so without exhausting water supplies, clearing more forests or worsening climate change, a new report warns. The Food Systems Countdown Report 2026 by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) says Africa is further behind global food and farming goals than any other region, and to catch up by 2030, countries would need to make unusually rapid progress in 23 areas, including access to nutritious food, clean water and more sustainable farming. At the current pace, many of those goals are unlikely to be met, the report says. The findings place African governments in a difficult position as millions of people need more affordable and nutritious food, yet some of the quickest ways to increase production can cause lasting environmental damage. For instance, clearing forests for farmland destroys wildlife habitats and releases gases that contribute to global warming; irrigation can drain already limited water sources, while the poor use of fertiliser and pesticides can damage soil and water. The report says progress should therefore be measured not only by how much food farmers produce, but also by whether farming protects the land, water and natural systems needed for future harvests. In April 2026 during the 34th FAO Regional Conference for Africa (ARC34) in Nouakchott, Mauritania, a continental assessment by FAO, the African Union Commission, the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the World Food Programme showed that Africa remains severely off-track to meet Zero Hunger goals due to conflict, climate shocks, and financing gaps Climate shocks are adding to the pressure. The World Food Programme has warned that a strong El Niño could push another 49 million people worldwide into severe food insecurity, with Southern Africa expected to be among the hardest-hit regions. The report also stresses that growing more food does not automatically end hunger, saying food may be available in markets but still be too expensive for poor families. Transport problems, conflict and extreme weather can also prevent food from reaching the people who need it. Other studies have found the same gap between production and nutrition. The Africa Food Systems Report 2025 said agricultural production on the continent had grown by an average of 4.3 per cent a year since 2000, the fastest rate in the world. Despite that growth, undernutrition continued to rise. The figures show that governments must focus not only on producing more food, but also on making healthy food affordable and accessible. The report says that African countries must increase food production, make nutritious food more affordable, and at the same time protect the natural resources on which farming depends, adding that the choices made now will determine whether future generations inherit a food system that canContinue Reading

Correspondent wrote a new post

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:00:41 +0300

Kenyan Teen Leads Charge on Tree Planting and Climate Awareness By Lynet Otieno Baraka Moruri has been passionate about the environment since he was 6. Now 13, the Kenyan climate champion says he has planted more than 7,600 trees with the help of family, friends and private organizations. “My goal is unlimited. I want to plant over 1 million trees before I turn 18,” he says. On March 20 this year, Baraka and his family launched Go Green with Baraka, a book calling for young people in Africa to lead in protecting the environment. Baraka is Little Mister Environment Kenya, and the ambassador of Plant Your Age, an initiative started by the Green Africa Foundation following the death in 2011 of Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai at the age of 71. Her work inspired him to become involved in climate action. “Once, as I was doing my agriculture class assignment that involved researching about Prof Wangari Maathai, I watched a video in which she was being denied her rights. She later won a global award because of her love for the environment,” Baraka says. The impacts of climate change fall especially hard on children in countries like Kenya. The newly released “Children’s Climate Risk Report” by UNICEF describes how children in East and Southern Africa are exposed to overlapping climate shocks. “Over 65 million children, close to one in four, are already exposed to three or more overlapping climate hazards, from droughts and fires to floods and tropical storms,” it says. These climate shocks, the report says, are increasingly affecting the essential services that children rely on for survival, health and learning, including critical water and sanitation systems. “During floods or heat waves we cannot concentrate in school or get involved in extracurricular activities,” Baraka says. Events like the March 2026 floods that killed 110 people and displaced 34,700 in Kenya spurred Baraka’s concern for the impact of climate change on his country. “We could not see our friends. It killed many people. It basically made me to realize that Kenya needs to take climate change more seriously because floods are caused by something that can be mitigated,” he says. Baraka started planting trees four years ago, at the age of 9. He involves friends, family and fellow students in tree-planting activities. They’ve planted fruit and other trees in schools, wellness sanctuaries, and a national forest in Nairobi, as well in rural areas around the city. Baraka Moruri during the interview with Mongabay at their home in Nairobi. | Courtesy Lynet Otieno, Mongabay. Baraka has also influenced his grandmother, who has set land aside for planting trees. “She is basically fighting climate change because I took my time to tell her about the science behind it. Basically, everyone in my family, and friends who have been coming to my events knows about climate change,” he says. In November 2023, Baraka was joined by at least 700 of these fellow enthusiasts for a climate change walk, after which they planted more than 2,000 trees. Baraka has been told he’s too young to understand climate change. But Baraka, whose name means “blessing” in Swahili, says he can see the impacts with his own eyes. “In the dry season it rains, and what used to be wet seasons now are prolonged dry weather. Farmers don’t know when to plant. This is detrimental to food security,” he tells Mongabay. According to the “Africa Climate Awareness Report 2023,” people in African countries are largely aware of climate change. But there’s a gap for younger generations. “Older respondents were generally more aware of the impact of climate change than young people,” the report authors wrote. Baraka says he wants more children to be actively involved in climate action. “Leaders should not leave us behind. We also have ideas and energy on how to combat climate change,” he said. He says he wants to attend the COP31 U.N. climate summit, taking place this November in Türkiye, to deliver the same message to world leaders at the annual talks. “I am not the only child championing climate action. If we work consistently, more children will have hope,” he adds. A 2025 study by Douglas Nyathi, Joram Ndlovu and Thembelihle Nyathi, titled “Youth participation in climate action in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges, gaps and prospects,” finds that youths have a hard time obtaining the kind of political and financial support they need to engage in climate action. “I fund almost everything Baraka does,” says Lawrine Moruri, Baraka’s mother. “Initially I lacked climate change awareness and only supported him to enjoy his passion. But now I am beginning to see where this is going, and the costs it comes with. I am grateful for the few friends and institutions that donate trees, and help in several other ways sometimes. But we need more support.” The institutions she refers to are Plant Your Age, Green Africa Movement, Safaricom, Equity Bank, Safaricom Subcontractors, Lolo Cleaning Services, Fastlink Movers, and the White Star school. According to Collins Otieno, director of the Africa Youth Climate Fund, less than 1% of international climate funding goes to youth- and children-led projects. “We have a system that is designed to ignore youth and children, right from the household to the larger society,” he says. Otieno says he believes children and youth have the right to shape the conversation about climate finance, given that the burdens will fall on them. “Now Africa is negotiating different instruments for climate finance” — at the SB64 U.N. climate meeting in Germany — “but who will pay these debts? Children will pay in the form of taxation,” he says. When Baraka visits schools in Nairobi, he simplifies climate change by talking about it in a fun way. Planting trees isn’t the only way to help; he tells his peers. “I talk to them about other options of addressing climate change, including switching to electric cars, switching off lights and taps when they are not in use. There are also house plants that can help combat climate change,” he says. Juma Ignatius, senior policy adviser (global) at the Christian charity World Vision International, says children’s participation in climate action should include the ability to influence policy. “Children will live longer than the older generation. We cannot do anything without them. This problem is not unique to Kenya,” he tells Mongabay. Internationally, he says, some platforms, like mini-COPs, and linking children to policymaker’s work. “I met a child in Brazil from Solomon Islands, who was articulate at one of the mini-COPs. There was another one from Tanzania. But such initiatives are led by CSOs, rather than governments,” Ignatius says. He recommends a standing policy that when coming up with positions for COPs or the Africa Ministerial Conference on Environment, children’s perspectives must be included. Baraka’s work is a drop in the ocean in Kenya’s efforts to plant 15 billion trees by 2030. Before he disappears to play, he tells Mongabay that he doesn’t want children to be seen merely as vulnerable to climate change effects, but rather as great stakeholders in effective climate action locally and abroad. Republished from Mongabay: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/07/kenyan-teen-leads-charge-on-tree-planting-and-Continue Reading

Dan Kaburu wrote a new post

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:12:48 +0300

KDC Plans Kenya’s First Green Fund as Climate Financing Gap Widens By Daniel Kaburu Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) plans to establish what it describes as the country’s first green fund, marking a significant shift in Kenya’s efforts to finance renewable energy, climate-resilient enterprises and environmentally sustainable development. The fund, expected to be established in the coming months, will target businesses whose projects can reduce emissions, improve resource efficiency or strengthen resilience to climate change but which have historically struggled to secure affordable, long-term financing. KDC Director-General Norah Ratemo said financing remains the missing link between Kenya’s growing pool of green ideas and their implementation. The urgency is being driven by the growing economic cost of climate change, with Kenya’s latest climate plan estimating that extreme weather events erode between 3% and 5% of the country’s gross domestic product annually. Recurring droughts have disrupted agriculture, livestock production and hydropower generation, while severe flooding has damaged homes, roads, schools, businesses and other infrastructure. Kenya’s second Nationally Determined Contribution estimates that the 2024 floods alone caused about $783 million in damage and more than $672 million in associated economic losses. The World Bank has warned that, without sufficient adaptation measures, climate change could reduce Kenya’s real GDP by as much as 7% against the baseline by 2050. It could also push up to 1.1 million additional people into poverty under a dry and hot climate scenario. These risks are particularly serious because agriculture, water, tourism and energy sectors are highly exposed to changes in rainfall and temperature. Environment Principal Secretary Eng. Festus Ng’eno says governments can no longer treat climate change as a peripheral environmental concern because its effects are increasingly shaping economic planning and public policy. Kenya’s climate ambitions require investment on a scale that public finances cannot meet alone. Under its latest climate commitment, the country estimates that it will need about $56 billion to implement mitigation and adaptation programmes between 2031 and 2035. The country intends to mobilise approximately $10.5 billion, or 19%, from domestic resources, leaving about $45.36 billion dependent on international finance, investment and other forms of support. The plan seeks to reduce Kenya’s projected greenhouse-gas emissions by 35% by 2035, while financing adaptation in agriculture, water, health, infrastructure and other climate-sensitive sectors. Kenya’s Second Nationally Determined ContributionThe scale of the shortfall has increased pressure on development finance institutions, commercial lenders, cooperative societies, pension funds and private investors to mobilise additional capital. Development finance institutions are particularly important because they can provide longer repayment periods, patient capital, guarantees and blended-finance arrangements for projects that commercial lenders may consider too new, risky or slow to generate returns. Although entrepreneurs and established businesses have developed solutions capable of reducing carbon emissions and improving environmental performance, many cannot meet the collateral, repayment and risk requirements imposed by conventional lenders. The green fund is expected to help close that gap by directing capital towards commercially viable projects that also deliver measurable environmental and social benefits. KDC entry into green financing could also help draw private capital into projects by absorbing part of the early-stage risk. This would allow commercial banks and institutional investors to participate in investments they might otherwise avoid. KDC has already begun integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into its investment processes. Its green-financing strategy is also being aligned with the Kenya Green Finance Taxonomy, which provides a common framework for identifying economic activities that qualify as environmentally sustainable. Government officials say cooperative societies could complement the work of development finance institutions by extending green credit to households, farmers and small businesses that may not be served directly by laContinue Reading

Correspondent wrote a new post

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:57:30 +0300

Africa’s Bakers Turn to Climate-Resilient Crops as Wheat-Free Market Grows Bonface Orucho African bakers and food manufacturers are turning indigenous crops into breads, cakes, pasta and snacks, linking the growing market for gluten-free food to a wider effort to build food systems that can withstand climate change. At Kirsten Bakery in Nairobi, cassava, millet, sorghum and other naturally gluten-free ingredients are increasingly being used to make bread, cakes and pastries. The bakery is part of an emerging shift in which crops traditionally grown for household consumption or sold in local markets are being developed into higher-value food products, giving farmers and processors new commercial reasons to invest in varieties suited to Africa’s changing climate. The climate case is becoming more urgent because most African farming depends on rainfall, leaving food production highly exposed when rains arrive late, end early or fail altogether. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that between 90% and 95% of Africa’s food production is rain-fed, while climate change has reduced growth in the continent’s agricultural productivity by 34% since 1961. The panel also found that climate change lowered wheat yields in sub-Saharan Africa by an average of 2.3% between 1974 and 2008, with drought, extreme heat and changing rainfall expected to place further pressure on the crop production.Cassava, millet and sorghum are not immune to severe weather, but many varieties can produce food under hotter and drier conditions in which more water-demanding crops struggle. The Food and Agriculture Organization describes cassava as tolerant of drought and capable of producing acceptable harvests on marginal land, while millet and sorghum have long supported communities farming in dry parts of Africa. Expanding the use of those crops in processed foods could therefore help countries diversify their food supplies, create markets for farmers in drought-prone areas and reduce their exposure to disruptions in imported wheat. The opportunity is being strengthened by growing consumer demand for gluten-free food, as consumers become more concerned about gluten sensitivity, digestion and diet. The global market for gluten-free bakery products was valued at US$2.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$7.38 billion by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights.Judith Moraa, a Nairobi-based nutritionist, says growing awareness of gluten-related health problems ss changing what consumers looks for when buying bread and other baked foods. “Nowadays, people are choosing gluten-free foods not only because they have coeliac disease but also because they are sensitive to gluten and experience allergic reactions after consuming products that contain it,” Moraa says.According to Moraa, naturally gluten-free crops such as cassava, millet and sorghum can provide useful dietary fibre and allow consumers to eat a wider variety of locally grown foods. For African food companies, the crops offer an opportunity to respond to changing diets while building supply chains around ingredients that are already familiar to local farmers. At the University of Pretoria, food science researcher Daddy Kgonothi has developed a patent-pending protein concentrate from the marama bean, a drought-resistant and nutrient-rich legume native to Southern Africa. The concentrate is designed to help gluten-free dough behave more like wheat dough, potentially reducing the number of ingredients manufacturers need to produce bread with an acceptable texture. “A growing number of consumers with coeliac disease are unable to consume gluten-containing foods such as bread and therefore rely on alternative gluten-free products,” Kgonothi said.“ However, many commercially available gluten-free products are expensive due to the large number of ingredients required to achieve desirable product quality. ”Kgonothi’s invention, which emerged from his doctoral research and remains at the prototype stage, combines marama bean protein with starch to improve the strength and texture of gluten-free dough. The University of Pretoria said the technology could help manufacturers produce more affordable gluten-free foods while creating commercial demand for a crop adapted to dry environments. Climate-focused food innovation is also extending beyond drought-resistant crops to the problem of food waste, with researchers exploring how rejected produce can be converted into ingredients instead of being discarded. In South Africa, approximately 140,000 tonnes of potatoes valued at R759 million were lost or wasted across the value chain in 2023, according to Potatoes South Africa. Many potatoes are rejected because they fail to meet retailers’ expectations for size, shape or appearance, despite remaining suitable for consumption.At Stellenbosch University, food science researcher Tanja du Toit has developed gluten-free breads, muffins and pancakes using flour made from lower-grade potatoes, showing how processing can create value from produce that might otherwise be discarded. “Potato flour is naturally gluten-free, which presents an enormous opportunity for product development, especially using lower-grade potatoes, since the defects in potatoes are masked when they’re made into flour,” she said.University of Pretoria researchers have also developed gluten-free ready meals, including beef and potato lasagne, using lower-grade potatoes. Consumer trials found that willingness to buy the products increased after shoppers learned that they could help reduce food waste, suggesting that environmental concerns are beginning to influence purchasing decisions alongside price, convenience and health. Governments are also beginning to develop rules that could support wider trade in alternative flours. In July 2026, the Codex Alimentarius Commission approved a Nigerian proposal to begin developing an international group standard for flours made from roots and tubers, initially focusing on yam and sweet potato. The Codex proposal argues that internationally agreed standards could improve food safety and make it easier for producers to sell climate-resilient staples to commercial bakeries and export markets. Cassava flour is already covered by an international Codex standard, while the proposed work would establish common requirements for yam, sweet potato and potentially other tuber flours. In northern Kenya, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) has tested teff in drought-prone Marsabit, where research found that the crop can tolerate considerable soil-moisture stress and has become an alternative to maize in some areas. A KALRO-linked study found that teff’s ability to grow in dry conditions made it suitable for Marsabit, although low soil fertility and limited access to improved seed continued to restrict yields. Other crops are attracting similar interest, including fonio in West Africa and sorghum, millet and amaranth in Eastern and Southern Africa, as manufacturers develop snack bars, flour blends and other foods aimed at consumers seeking simple, locally sourced ingredients. The transition will still require investment in reliable crop supplies, food-safety systems, processing equipment and product development, because climate resilience on the farm will not create a profitable industry unless processors can produce affordable foods that consumers enjoy. Farmers will also need access to improved seed, extension services, storage and stable markets, while manufacturers must ensure that demand for premium products translates into better and more reliable earnings for growers. Republished from bird story agency: https://agency.birdstoryagenc Continue Reading

Correspondent wrote a new post

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:36:08 +0300

The Farmer’s Daughter Using Solar and AI to Keep Harvests Alive By Lerato Pooe Every morning, before the day’s fresh tomatoes could be prepared for sale, Shifra Ainomugisha had another job: removing the rotten ones from her family’s store. She was the only girl in a tomato-growing family in Ibanda District, western Uganda, and the routine was so familiar that, at first, the waste appeared normal. Her family worked hard, yet a large part of each harvest spoiled before it could be sold. “I used to wake up every single morning to collect rotten tomatoes from our store and leave the fresh ones for sale,” Ainomugisha recalls. “But it was so heartbreaking that the biggest percentage of the tomatoes were going to waste.” As she grew older, the connection between those losses and her family’s circumstances became harder to ignore. At school, differences between what children could afford made visible what spoiled produce meant at home. “We were kept in poverty, yet we were labouring a lot,” she says. “Maybe I needed a certain kind of school shoes, but I couldn’t get the shoes. It kept sinking in that something was not right.” That recognition, which began when she was about 15, eventually became the foundation for Solafam Uganda Limited, the climate-technology company she founded with university colleagues. In June, Ainomugisha was named the 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, as well as the regional winner for Africa, for work that combines solar-powered cold storage, shared solar irrigation and an artificial-intelligence advisory service for farmers. For International Youth Day, her story celebrates young Africans building solutions from problems they know intimately. Ainomugisha studied renewable-energy engineering at Makerere University in Kampala. There she met other sons and daughters of farmers, including Solafam’s chief operating officer, Moreen Nabahiirwa, a mechanical-engineering student, and now a colleague with business expertise. They had knowledge and an idea, but no capital. A lecturer who had watched them work on a related university project became the first person outside their families to take the idea seriously. “After school, you don’t have anything to start a business if you have not worked for an organisation and earned a salary,” Ainomugisha says. “We only had knowledge. We needed that one person to believe in us.” Shifra Ainomugisha handing over a solar-powered pump to Scovia, a farmer in Ibanda. | Courtesy: Commonwealth Secretariat | Birds Story Agency That one person was their lecturer who connected them to the Sahara Impact Fund. Its support helped them build a solar-powered cold room from a repurposed shipping container, locally sourced batteries and solar panels. With nowhere else to install it, Ainomugisha placed it at her father’s home. Her parents became the first people to test her prototype. Soon, other farmers in her village would come to look at the solution they had built in their home. Other farmers watched, but winning their confidence proved difficult. “They saw a very young girl, 23 or 24 years old,” she says. “They would ask, ‘what do you mean you’re doing this? You’re a woman entrepreneur, an engineer, and you’re solving this?’ It was hard for people to take us in and believe in our solution.” Without proper storage, Ainomugisha says freshly harvested tomatoes might last only a few days, perhaps a week or up to 10 days, whereas with the cold room, the tomatoes can remain fresh for up to 21 days. Her father could now wait for peak-season pressure to ease. Trust grew gradually through her father’s experience. Solafam also grew beyond cold storage as farmers revealed that spoilage was only one part of a larger system of risk. Reliance on rain could leave a farmer with a single productive season. Even a successfully preserved harvest still needed a buyer. Farmers also needed timely advice about irrigation, pests, crop management and harvesting. Solafam responded by offering shared solar-irrigation systems and LYN, an AI-supported service accessed via WhatsApp. Ainomugisha’s days are busy and even then she takes time to go to the field: “I’m always in the field to check on how the farmers are doing, if there is any maintenance needed for the irrigation systems.” Solafam says LYN has reached nearly 2,000 farmers, and this is an ongoing process. Ainomugisha says the company is always looking for more clients and communities where it can provide its solutions to farmers. Reaching a thousand clients, she says, would not mean that the work was done. The company’s ambitions stretch beyond Uganda, with the team looking to expand to Tanzania, Kenya and other countries. The impact of Solafam’s work enables farmers to grow across more seasons. This innovation means that more food is available within the communities where the food is produced. Shifra Ainomugisha with a farmer outside a Solafam cold room in Ibanda. | Courtesy: Commonwealth Secretariat | Birds Story Agency She describes receiving the award as “life-changing” and the biggest win yet since Solafam began. Even though Solafam had partners back in 2023, the award recognition has brought a high level of attention to the company and opened doors that were difficult for the company to access. In particular, Ainomugisha says the award has allowed them to engage with the Ugandan government, an opportunity they have always wanted but struggled to secure. “From the time we got that award, we are now in talking stage with the government,” she says. Beyond acknowledging the work Solafam has done, the award has opened opportunities for partnerships that could help the company expand its work. The attention also gives Ainomugisha a platform ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which will take place in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, from 1–4 November 2026. She wants CHOGM to move beyond celebrating young people towards removing the barriers that constrain their ideas. “I want to see the youth being supported, and a system created whereby it will be easy for someone like me, staying in Uganda, to access education in Antigua,” she said. “I shouldn’t get issues with visa access. I want the system to be easy for us.” “We have a lot of network-connectivity issues,” she said. “I want someone to address that.” Her message to funders is direct: young Africans understand many challenges requiring solutions, but ideas stall when nobody back an unproven team. “Young people are the ones making a big change in our communities,” she says. “They have solutions, but they are lacking people to believe and support them to reach their dreams.” She rejects the idea that agriculture is confined to digging in a field, saying that renewable energy, engineering, logistics, AI, market information, and finance create openings for a new generation. “The youth should know that farming is beyond going to the farm and digging,” she says. “There are many opportunities to solve the problems related to farming using AI technology.” Throughout her journey, Ainomugisha has recognised that her success comes from the people who supported and believed in her, and, most of all, from the clients who turned her idea into a business. “I want to change the narrative that farming is for the poor,” she says. “I want people to make money out of agriculture, adopt technology and change their livelihoods.” The article has been republished from bird story agency: https://agency.birdstoryagency.com/stories/the-farmer-s-daughter-using-solar-and-ai-to-keep-harve Continue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:27:57 +0300

Solar, Recycling And E-Mobility Projected To Drive Africa’s Next Jobs Boom Africa’s shift towards cleaner energy, transport and production could generate as many as 7.9 million jobs by 2030 and 84.5 million by 2050, a new study shows. However, most of the opportunities could be informal and poorly protected unless governments and investors increase support for workers, according to a study by FSD Africa in partnership with Shell Foundation, Shortlist and Genesis Analytics. It projects that Africa’s green economy could support between 3.8 million and 7.9 million jobs by 2030, with the wide difference reflecting how quickly governments, businesses and investors turn climate and energy plans into working industries. By 2050, green employment could rise to between 65.9 million and 84.5 million jobs, with the report warning that slow investment, weak regulation and limited workforce preparation could leave the continent with 18.6 million fewer jobs than under its most successful scenario. Under the report’s higher 2030 projection, cleaner cooking could support about 2.5 million jobs, waste recycling 1.1 million, small solar systems one million and electric motorcycles and three-wheelers approximately 600,000. Together, energy and power activities are expected to account for 65% of Africa’s green employment in 2030, while waste recycling could account for 16%, agriculture and nature-related work 11%, and electric transport 8%. Unlike the energy transitions taking place in wealthier regions, where employment is often associated with large power plants and factories, Africa’s green economy is expected to rely heavily on small businesses and local service networks. More than half of the green jobs projected for 2030 are expected to be in distribution, installation, operation and maintenance, including work for solar sales agents, stove distributors, waste collectors, battery-charging attendants and repair technicians. “The employment dividend of Africa’s green transition will be realised through service value chains, not construction sites,” said Kevin Munjal, FSD Africa’s Director of Development Impact. Munjal said directing more finance towards cleaner cooking, small solar systems, recycling and electric transport would generate more employment than concentrating investment only in large infrastructure projects. The service-based structure, the study shows, could make green work accessible to people who do not have university degrees or large amounts of money to start businesses, as many positions can be entered through short practical training or small-scale trading. Trampo Energy in Uganda providing e-mobility solution for cleaner environment. | Courtesy However, the same structure could also leave millions of workers without contracts, stable earnings, health insurance or other forms of social protection. FSD Africa estimates that 86% of green jobs in 2030 could be informal, with the industries expected to create the most employment also having some of the lowest barriers to entry and the weakest worker protections. The employment forecasts come as Africa’s rapidly growing youth population increases demand for work, particularly in the service industries that are also expected to deliver much of the green transition. The Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026 estimates that the continent has about 532 million people aged between 15 and 35, with the youth population expected to increase by 132 million between 2020 and 2030. More than 10 million young people enter Africa’s labour market every year, while current economic growth creates only about three million formal jobs annually, according to the outlook, which was produced by World Data Lab in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and the University of Cape Town’s Development Policy Research Unit. The youth employment report projects that services will overtake agriculture as the largest employer of young Africans by 2033, when the sector is expected to employ 3.8 million more young people than agriculture. That wider movement into retail, transport, logistics, tourism and other services could provide a workforce for green businesses, particularly because the jobs identified by FSD Africa will depend on people who can sell, distribute, install, operate and repair products. However, the youth outlook also shows that 90% of employed young Africans currently work informally, suggesting that the green economy could expand employment without necessarily improving job security. Training is another major obstacle, with the FSD Africa study reporting that fewer than 7% of African youth have completed formal technical or vocational training. Africa currently accounts for only 2% of the global renewable-energy workforce despite possessing 60% of the world’s best solar resources, while less than 1% of climate finance reaching the continent is directed towards developing workforce skills, according to the study. The shortage could force green businesses to import specialised workers or delay projects, reducing the share of employment and income retained in African economies. Country findings show that the type and quality of green employment will differ widely across the continent, with approximately 87% of Nigeria’s projected green workforce expected to be informal, while about 70% of South Africa’s could be formal because its transition is more strongly shaped by regulated energy projects and government procurement. Kenya falls between the two models, with its green economy supported by mobile money, small energy businesses and a growing electric-mobility industry that already employs more than 11,000 people, many of them young workers in informal maintenance and distribution. FSD report concludes that the difference between creating 3.8 million and nearly eight million green jobs by 2030 will depend largely on decisions made by governments and investors, including whether they finance small service businesses, train workers and extend basic protection to people workingContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:19:22 +0300

Africa Braces for El Niño as Drought and Flood Risks Threaten Food Security African governments and farmers are being urged to accelerate preparations for drought and flooding as a strengthening El Niño threatens agricultural production across several regions of the continent. Southern Africa faces an increased risk of drought during its main growing season, while East Africa is preparing for heavier-than-normal rainfall during the October–December “short rains.” In the Sahel, the weather threat is expected to compound food insecurity already driven by conflict, displacement and high food prices. The latest outlook from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gives El Niño a 97 percent chance of continuing into early 2027. NOAA said in July that there was an 81 percent chance the event would become very strong between October and December. El Niño is a naturally occurring warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It changes atmospheric circulation and rainfall patterns around the world, but its effects vary significantly between regions. Rein Paulsen, Director of Emergencies and Resilience at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) says the forecast was arriving when many households in Africa have little capacity to withstand another failed or disrupted food growing season. “What is particularly concerning is the already very high food insecurity,” Paulsen says, describing the situation as a “dangerous moment.” More than 306 million people in Africa were undernourished in 2024, according to a regional food-security assessment released this year by FAO, the African Union Commission (AU), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. Nearly 893 million people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity. The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre has forecast significantly wetter-than-normal conditions across many equatorial and southern parts of the Greater Horn of Africa during the October–December season. In Kenya, the forecast has increased attention on water harvesting, flood protection and soil management. Although heavy rainfall can replenish rivers, reservoirs and groundwater, it can also cause severe agricultural losses when it falls on exposed or degraded land. Maria Mkenda, an investment officer with the Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism, says field visits in Kenya had revealed limited investment in even basic water-storage facilities. “We are not practicing enough water harvesting activities at all,” Mkenda says. Farmer harvesting her produce | Courtesy farmfirst.org She says simple equipment such as 100-litre water tanks, which are relatively affordable, was frequently missing from farms. While small tanks cannot control major flooding, they can provide reserve water for seedlings, livestock and household gardens when the rains stop. According to Mkenda, larger interventions, including roof-catchment systems, farm ponds, water pans, contour bunds, infiltration trenches and drainage channels, will be needed to manage heavier runoff and reduce flood damage. “Without such infrastructure, large volumes of water can flow away from farms, carrying soil and nutrients with them. Farmers may then experience flooding during the rainy season and water shortages only weeks later,” she says. Mkenda is also advocating reduced or no-till farming as a defence against erosion. “Under conventional tillage, repeated ploughing can leave the soil surface exposed to heavy rain. In minimum or no-till systems, farmers disturb the ground as little as possible and retain crop residues as surface cover. “The residue absorbs the force of raindrops, slows runoff and reduces the amount of topsoil washed from the field. It can also limit evaporation, increase water infiltration and contribute organic matter as it decomposes,” says Mkenda. The approach, she adds, forms part of conservation agriculture, which combines minimal soil disturbance with continued soil cover and crop rotation. FAO guidance says organic cover can improve infiltration and protect soil from rain, wind and direct sunlight. The expected weather extremes are also placing greater scrutiny on fertilizer use. Organic and mineral fertilizers are sometimes presented as competing approaches, but researchers increasingly recommend combining them. Bernard Vanlauwe, a soil scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, has led research on Integrated Soil Fertility Management. According to him, the approach brings together mineral fertilizer, organic materials, improved crop varieties and farming practices adapted to specific local conditions. Research led by Bernard Vanlauwe, a soil scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, has found that organic inputs applied at levels available to most smallholders may not supply enough nutrients for optimum crop production. “Organic fertilizer lacks the nutrient density of inorganic,” Mkenda said. But she cautioned that mineral fertilizer was not a complete solution, particularly during heavy rainfall as nitrogen and other nutrients may be lost through runoff or leaching before crops can absorb them. Experts recommend using soil tests, correct fertilizer placement and, where possible, split applications timed to crop demand and short-term weather forecasts. Agricultural specialists are also calling for changes to government fertilizer subsidies. Agnes Kalibata, who served as AGRA president from 2014 to 2025, has argued that subsidies should not replace functional agricultural markets. “African agriculture won’t thrive on fertilizer subsidies, but on working markets,” Kalibata says. During field visits in Kakamega County in western Kenya, Mkenda encountered farmers who had increased their use of a subsidized fertilizer without achieving a corresponding rise in production. The experience suggested that the product did not address all the constraints affecting the soil or crop. Experts say the remaining months before the October–December rains provide a limited but important opportunity to protect water, soil aContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:00:15 +0300

Africa Captures Just 1.6% of Global Renewable Energy Growth Africa accounted for just 1.6 per cent of new renewable energy capacity installed worldwide in 2025, highlighting the continent’s continued struggle to attract investment. The latest Renewable Energy Statistics 2026 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that Africa added only 11.3 gigawatts (GW) of renewable electricity capacity during the year, compared with 692 GW added globally. The report highlights a widening geographical imbalance in the global energy transition with China, the United States and the European Union together accounting for 550 GW, or nearly 80 per cent of all renewable capacity added in 2025, leaving developing regions, particularly Africa, far behind. Despite possessing some of the world’s richest solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower resources, Africa continues to face high financing costs, inadequate transmission infrastructure, limited access to affordable capital and policy constraints that have slowed renewable energy deployment. Globally, renewable energy recorded its strongest year on record with total installed renewable electricity capacity reaching 5,149 GW by the end of 2025 after the addition of 692 GW during the year. Solar energy remained the main driver of expansion, contributing about 510 GW, nearly three-quarters of all new renewable installations. Wind power followed with 159 GW, while hydropower, bioenergy and geothermal energy recorded comparatively smaller increases. IRENA says the rapid growth demonstrates the increasing competitiveness of renewable technologies, but warns that the current pace remains insufficient to achieve the internationally agreed goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030. The report notes that annual renewable additions will need to increase further over the remainder of the decade if countries are to stay on track for that target. For Africa, the findings reinforce the urgency of scaling up investment in renewable energy, not only to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also to expand electricity access, strengthen energy security and support industrialisation. Countries including Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and Ethiopia have made notable progress through investments in geothermal, wind, solar and hydropower, but these successes have yet to translate into rapid growth across the continent. The report comes as African governments advance initiatives such as the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA), which seeks to mobilise investment and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy to support economic development and universal access toContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 08:27:41 +0300

Kenya Unveils New Carbon Market Rules Kenya hasContinue Reading

Dan Kaburu wrote a new post

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:50:26 +0300

Nearly 80% of Vegetables in Kenya Contain Pesticide Residues, Study Finds A new study has found pesticide residues in nearly 80% of vegetable samples collected from Kenyan markets, raising fresh concerns about food safety while showing that simple household preparation methods can substantially reduce consumers’ exposure. The research, presented during the Food Safety in Kenya: From Evidence to Action forum in Nairobi, found pesticide residues in 78 per cent of tomatoes, kale, spinach and onion analysed. Almost one-third of the samples contained pesticide concentrations exceeding the European Union’s Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), with tomatoes recording the highest levels of contamination. Researchers, however, found that soaking vegetables in salty water, washing them thoroughly under running water and cooking them reduced pesticide residues by an average of 72% before consumption. The findings come as Kenya continues to grapple with questions over pesticide use in agriculture. The country is among Africa’s largest users of agricultural pesticides, with farmers relying heavily on chemical pest control to protect crops and improve yields. Consumer groups and health researchers have repeatedly raised concerns over the use of highly hazardous pesticides, poor compliance with recommended application practices, inadequate enforcement and limited routine monitoring of pesticide residues in food sold on local markets. Food safety has also attracted international attention after some Kenyan horticultural exports were intercepted or rejected in export markets over pesticide residue concerns, prompting calls for stronger regulation throughout the agricultural value chain. Against this backdrop, researchers doing the study sought to determine not only the extent of pesticide residues in vegetables commonly consumed by Kenyan households but also whether ordinary food preparation methods could reduce exposure. The study analysed four of Kenya’s most widely consumed vegetables, tomatoes, kale, spinach and onions. Researchers found pesticide residues in 78 per cent of all samples tested, with nearly one-third exceeding European Union maximum residue limits. Tomatoes accounted for almost two-thirds of the non-compliant samples, while onions recorded the lowest residue levels. Tomato farm in Kenya | Courtesy According to the research, the most effective approach to reduce pesticide residues is soaking vegetables in salty water, thorough washing and cooking, which reduce pesticide residues by an average of 72%. Onions responded particularly well to washing and blanching, with some samples becoming almost free of detectable residues after preparation. Despite the encouraging findings, experts cautioned that consumers cannot shoulder responsibility for food safety on their own. “Food safety is everyone’s responsibility,” said Eustace Kiare, Executive Director of KOAN. “This dialogue brings together evidence, experience and diverse voices to identify practical actions that can strengthen Kenya’s food system, from the farm to the consumer’s table.” “The right to food is not only about having enough food,” said Dr Harun Warui of the Route to Food Initiative. “It is also about ensuring that the food people consume is safe. This research provides evidence that can inform policy, support farmers and equip consumers with practical knowledge.” Dr Warui said simple kitchen practices should complement rather than replace stronger regulation throughout the food system: “Today’s findings offer households practical ways to reduce pesticide exposure, but they cannot stand alone as the solution,” he said. “Without stronger regulation and effective enforcement, food containing hazardous pesticide residues will continue reaching consumers.” He added that expanding agroecological farming practices and integrated pest management would reduce dependence on hazardous pesticides over the long term while helping build a safer and more sustainable food system. Participants called for tighter regulation of pesticide use, routine residue surveillance, stronger extension services to support farmers, greater public awareness and more effective enforcement of food safety standards. The discussions also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen regulation through the proposed Pest Control Products Bill, which seeks to improve oversight of pesticideContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:22:22 +0300

Rising Lakes Put Kenya on Alert as El Niño Threat Grows Scientists at the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMSA) have called on the Government and counties surrounding Lake Victoria and Rift Valley lakes to prepare for significant flooding as forecasts point to above-normal rainfall during the October to December short-rains season. The warning comes as global climate models indicate that a strengthening El Niño is likely to develop towards the end of the year. If accompanied by a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), the phenomenon could substantially enhance rainfall across East Africa, including Kenya. El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern characterised by unusually warm sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The phenomenon alters global weather patterns, often bringing drought to some regions while triggering unusually heavy rainfall and flooding in others. In East Africa, strong El Niño events, particularly when reinforced by a positive IOD, have historically been associated with exceptionally wet October-to-December rainy seasons. Speaking during a KMSA webinar on El Niño preparedness, Disaster Risk Management and Anticipatory Action expert Zachary Misiani said the convergence of the two climate systems is expected to intensify rainfall across much of Kenya. “The two signals could trigger an early onset of torrential rainfall,” he said. While the heavy rains are expected to trigger widespread flash floods, the scientist said the more persistent danger would come from rising lake levels and lake backflow into surrounding communities. “The most critical concern is lake backflow affecting communities around Lake Victoria and the Rift Valley lakes, including Turkana, Naivasha, Baringo, Bogoria and Nakuru, which could compound existing displacement challenges. Homa Bay, Kisumu and Nakuru are among the counties most at risk as rising water levels push back into settled areas,” he said. The warning comes against the backdrop of a prolonged period of unusually high lake levels across Kenya beginning in 2020, where successive seasons of above-average rainfall causing dramatic expansion of several lakes and the concern over another wet season is heightened by the impact on communities living near the lakes. Around Lake Naivasha, expanding waters have displaced thousands of residents in Kihoto, Karagita and Kamere areas, submerged flower farms, hotels, beaches and roads, and increased human-wildlife conflict as hippos and crocodiles ventured closer to settlements. At Lake Nakuru, rising waters inundated homes in Mwariki and Barut estates, submerged sections of the town’s sewerage system, swallowed farmland and affected parts of the national park, forcing wildlife to shift habitats and disrupting tourism. Lake Elementaita, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has experienced shoreline expansion that has altered critical habitats for flamingos and other waterbirds, raising concerns over biodiversity and tourism that depends on the lake’s unique ecosystem. Around Lake Baringo, entire villages, schools, health facilities, roads, lodges and agricultural land have been submerged, displacing thousands of families and severely affecting fishing, livestock production and tourism. Rising waters have also brought crocodiles and hippos into closer contact with people, increasing human-wildlife conflicts. At neighbouring Lake Bogoria, the expanding shoreline has inundated sections of the national reserve, damaged tourism infrastructure and threatened one of the world’s most important breeding and feeding grounds for flamingos and other migratory birds. Previous flooding at the shores of Lake Victoria in the 2020 rainy season, Kisumu County | Courtesy Floodlist.com Further north, Lake Turkana has risen steadily over the past decade, flooding fishing villages, schools, roads and grazing lands, displacing lakeshore communities and disrupting livelihoods that depend on fishing and pastoralism. Around Lake Victoria, prolonged high water levels have inundated beaches, ports, homes and public infrastructure across several counties. Scientists note that many of the lakes remain above their long-term average levels, leaving surrounding communities more vulnerable should another exceptionally wet season materialise. Beyond the lakes, Kenya’s five major river basins, the Tana, Athi, Turkana, Ewaso Ng’iro and Lake Victoria basins are expected to receive substantial inflows as the rains intensify. The increased runoff, experts warn, could expose thousands of households to riverine flooding, particularly in low-lying floodplains and settlements along the lower Tana River in Garissa, Tana River and Lamu counties. The Athi River basin stand to affect Nairobi, Machakos, Makueni and Kilifi with the Ewaso Ng’iro basin affecting parts of Laikipia, Isiolo, Samburu and Garissa, while rivers draining into Lake Victoria could affect communities across Kisumu, Busia, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties. “When catchments become saturated, riverine flooding becomes inevitable,” Misiani warned. “These rains are also likely to disrupt learning as schools in flood-prone areas become inaccessible, while roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure could be cut off or damaged, limiting access to essential services and emergency response.” KMSA Deputy Director Hannah Kimani said the evolving El Niño outlook presents both opportunities and challenges for agriculture. She noted that western Kenya has experienced depressed rainfall in recent months, but the anticipated rains are likely to improve moisture conditions across many farming areas. “There is potential for crop failure in some parts, especially over the North Rift,” Kimani said, warning that excessive rainfall could damage crops through flooding, waterlogging and the spread of crop diseases. At the same time, she encouraged farmers who have already harvested to take advantage of the current dry spell to dry and safely store produce before the rains arrive, thereby reducing post-harvest losses. “In the eastern sector, stakeholders can utilise the forecast rainfall to strengthen food security while remaining vigilant against flood risks,” Kimani said. Climate experts say Kenya’s experience during previous El Niño episodes demonstrates that preparedness must begin before the rains arrive. The 1997-98 El Niño remains one of the country’s most destructive climate disasters, causing widespread flooding, loss of life, outbreak of diseases, extensive damage to roads and bridges, and massive economic losses. More recently, prolonged heavy rainfall between 2023 and 2024 exposed communities around major lakes, rivers and urban centres to extensive flooding, with many households still recovering from displacement and damaged livelihoods. Scientists say the current forecasts provide the Government and counties with a critical window to strengthen early warning systems, clear drainage channels, identify evacuation centres, protect critical infrastructure and relocate households in the most vulnerable settlements before water levels begin to rise and flooding happen. With global climate models pointing to a strengthening El Niño and the possibility of a positive IOD later this year, meteorologists say the coming months will test Kenya’s ability to translate early warnings into tiContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:42:04 +0300

Strong El Niño Set to Intensify in August – October Period A strong El Niño is expected to strengthen over the next three months, increasing the likelihood of above-normal temperatures across much of the world and triggering major shifts in rainfall patterns that could heighten the risk of floods in some regions and drought in others, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned. In its latest global seasonal climate update, the UN weather agency said the El Niño event has continued to intensify steadily and is projected to dominate global climate conditions during the August–October 2026 period. The organisation noted that the warming Pacific Ocean is likely to amplify weather extremes already being intensified by human-induced climate change. According to WMO, much of the globe faces a high probability of above-normal temperatures during the coming months. Rainfall patterns are also expected to change markedly, with some areas, including East Africa, receiving much heavier-than-normal rainfall, while others, such as Southern Africa, experience persistent dryness, increasing risks to agriculture, water supplies and disaster management. For East Africa, forecasts indicate an increased likelihood of above-normal rainfall during the October–December “short rains” season, although local conditions will still depend on regional weather systems. The latest WMO assessment reinforces recent warnings by the Kenya Meteorological Department urging county governments, disaster-management agencies and farmers to prepare early for possible flooding. Rainfall impacts are expected to vary considerably across the country, meaning local forecasts will remain critical for planning agriculture, water management and emergency response. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said early warnings and preparedness measures are essential because El Niño’s impacts are felt differently around the world but can have serious consequences for food production, water resources, health and infrastructure. The organisation urged governments to strengthen disaster preparedness and ensure climate information reaches vulnerable communities before hazardous weather develops. El Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon characterised by unusually warm sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It alters atmospheric circulation worldwide, often bringing wetter conditions to some regions while causing drought in others. Although El Niño itself is a natural cycle, its impacts are becoming more severe because it is now occurring in a warmer climate driven by greenhouse gas emissions. The WMO first warned in June that there was an 80 per cent chance of El Niño developing during the June – August period and more than a 90 per cent probability that it would persist until at least November. The latest update indicates the event has evolved as anticipated and is now strengthening further. Climate scientists caution that the combination of a strong El Niño and long-term global warming could push global temperatures to exceptionally high levels over the coming months. Some research groups project that monthly global temperatures could temporarily exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels during early 2027 For Kenya, the developing El Niño calls for early planning in flood-prone counties, preparedness for possible disease outbreaks linked to heavy rainfall, protection of infrastructure and close monitoring of seasonal forecasts as the country approaches the October–DecemContinue Reading

Dan Kaburu wrote a new post

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:41:37 +0300

Amboseli 15 Elephant Deaths Leave Critical Questions Unanswered By the time rangers and community scouts in the Amboseli ecosystem began finding carcasses of elephants scattered across one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife landscapes, some had already been torn apart by scavengers. Others offered disturbing clues of healthy elephants suddenly becoming weak, losing control of their hind limbs, becoming partially paralysed and dying within one or two days. By the end of July, fifteen elephants had died. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) announced that the animals had succumbed to cyanide poisoning, with officials suggesting the elephants had consumed tomatoes contaminated with agricultural chemicals, but the explanation generated questions that remain largely unanswered. KWS had announced that cyanide killed the elephants but never showed precisely how investigators reached that conclusion, what form of cyanide was detected, where it originated or how it entered the elephants’ bodies. Until those questions are answered through published scientific evidence, the Amboseli deaths remain an investigation still in progress rather than a mystery fully solved. The chronology of events itself illustrates why caution is necessary. On 28 July, KWS announced that preliminary examinations conducted by the University of Nairobi had identified what it described only as “a potential toxic substance” in tissue samples collected from several elephants. At the same time, the agency disclosed that the Government Chemist had tested the samples for a range of toxins and returned negative results for those examined. Additional laboratory work, environmental sampling and toxicological investigations, KWS said, were continuing. Only days later, the official narrative became far more definitive. KWS Director-General Erustus Kanga announced that cyanide had been identified and linked the poisoning to tomatoes believed to have been sprayed with agricultural chemicals before being consumed by elephants. What has not entered the public domain is the evidence supporting that conclusion. Neither the toxicology report nor the laboratory methodology has been released. The public has also not been told which laboratory conclusively identified cyanide, whether independent confirmation was obtained, how many elephants tested positive or what concentrations were detected. Those omissions are significant because the KWS claim does not identify a single compound, concentration or source. According to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, free cyanide, cyanide salts and metal-cyanide complexes differ substantially in their stability, toxicity and environmental behaviour. “A finding described only as “traces of cyanide” cannot establish whether the Amboseli elephants received a lethal dose or whether the substance originated from agricultural chemicals, mineral processing or deliberate poisoning,” said a toxicologist who requested anonymity. “Investigators would need to disclose the precise compound detected, its concentration, the samples tested and the analytical method used, and then compare the results with samples from tomatoes, pesticide formulations, soil and water in the affected area before attributing the deaths to a particular source,” the toxicologist said. “Cyanide is not, in itself, a complete scientific explanation. Different cyanide compounds behave differently in the environment. Some are associated with industrial processes such as mineral extraction. Others are chemically distinct compounds used in agriculture. Establishing the precise compound is essential if investigators hope to trace its source,” he added. It is at this point that the official account begins to collide with observations from people who live and work in the Amboseli ecosystem every day. Community conservation workers interviewed for this article do not dismiss the possibility that poison killed the elephants. What they question is whether the explanation currently offered adequately fits the evidence they have observed on the ground. One experienced conservation worker described the deaths as concentrated largely within the southern dispersal areas of the Amboseli ecosystem, stretching from Kitirua through Eselengei Wildlife Management Area, Enkongu Narok, Kitenden and Ildepen to Kimana Sanctuary. According to him, most of the affected elephant families regularly use community land that contains relatively little intensive crop farming. His account raises an obvious question. If the elephants acquired lethal doses of cyanide by consuming contaminated tomatoes from farms, why were so many of the deaths reported among elephant families that spend much of their time away from the principal farming zones? That observation alone does not invalidate the tomato hypothesis because elephants travel long distances and routinely raid farms. Nevertheless, it points to the need for detailed spatial analysis showing precisely where each elephant became ill, where every carcass was recovered, the location of nearby farms, water sources and known elephant movement corridors. No such map has yet been released by KWS. Residents also question why no similar mortality event has been documented among livestock, companion animals or other wildlife sharing the same landscape. “Cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, monkeys, baboons, birds and numerous smaller mammals forage in and around the same agricultural areas, while local people harvest, transport and consume tomatoes and other vegetables grown in the region. Yet there have been no publicly reported clusters of illness comparable to the elephant deaths,” said the conservationist. “If contaminated crops introduced a lethal toxicant into the environment, investigators should demonstrate whether other species were exposed and, if not, why elephants alone appear to have been affected,” the toxicologist said. Community members are also asking investigators to explain another aspect of the timeline. According to local conservation workers, elephant deaths were observed from May and June before declining sharply in July. The official KWS chronology refers to deaths recorded between 24 June and 24 July. Reconciling those timelines is important because they may indicate earlier unrecorded cases or differing definitions of when the mortality event began. As uncertainty has persisted, alternative explanations have inevitably emerged. Some residents have speculated that cyanide may point not to agriculture but to mineral extraction, noting that cyanide compounds are widely used in gold processing. From that observation has grown a broader allegation that illegal mining may be occurring somewhere within the Amboseli landscape. At present, there is no publicly available evidence supporting the mining claim, and no investigation has linked the elephant deaths to mining activity, or any environmental data released so far identify mining waste or processing chemicals within the affected ecosystem. The mining hypothesis therefore remains speculation, yet speculation flourishes where evidence is withheld. If authorities wish to dispel such claims, the most effective response is transparency rather than dismissal. According to an official of a local environmental organization, a credible investigation demands publication of toxicology reports, laboratory methodologies, chain-of-custody documentation, environmental sampling results, necropsy findings and spatial analysis linking carcasses with potentiaContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:08:44 +0300

Nairobi Biodiversity Talks Set Agenda for COP17 AContinue Reading

Big3Africa Desk wrote a new post

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:32:57 +0300

Courts Halt Projects in Imenti and Ngong Road Forests By Waweru Wairimu and Pauline Ongaji Environment and Land Court has issued fresh orders halting controversial developments in Imenti Forest and Ngong Road Forest. The rulings delivered by Meru and Milimani courts on July 30 and July 31, respectively, temporarily stop projects promoted as supporting tourism and infrastructure development. In Meru, Justice Oguttu Mboya suspended the proposed construction of a State Lodge, airstrip, golf course and related developments in Imenti Forest in Meru County, pending the hearing and determination of consolidated petitions challenging the project. The judge also directed that five petitions filed over the developments be consolidated into one case to enable a comprehensive determination of the constitutional and environmental issues raised. The latest orders build on a series of conservatory orders issued by Justice Mboya since June, preserving the status quo in the gazetted forest and stopping any activities that could alter or degrade the protected ecosystem while the court hears the case. In Nairobi, Lady Justice J.G. Kemei of the Milimani Environment and Land Court issued conservatory orders stopping further excavation, tree-felling, land clearing and construction along the proposed Talanta Stadium–Bomas International Conference Centre road corridor through Ngong Road Forest. The orders restrain further works within the disputed section of the forest, including activities at a proposed eco-lodge site, pending determination of an application filed by the Law Society of Kenya, JustAct and other petitioners against the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and other respondents. Justice Kemei directed the respondents to file their replying affidavits and written submissions by August 17, while reserving the ruling on the application for September 16, 2026. Another closely watched case concerns the proposed relocation of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage within Nairobi National Park. The Environment and Land Court recently conducted a court-supervised site inspection to help determine whether the proposed relocation complies with environmental and legal requirements before construction proceeds. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) argues the move is necessary to improve conservation, education and animal welfare, while petitioners contend that the proposal could affect the park’s ecological integrity and should undergo rigorous environmental scrutiny. Environmental organisations have welcomed the two rulings, saying they affirm constitutional protections for forests and the right to a clean and healthy environment. In a joint statement, the Green Belt Movement and JustAct said the Imenti Forest decision demonstrates that projects affecting protected public forests must comply with the Constitution, environmental laws, meaningful public participation and statutory safeguards before implementation. The organisations described Imenti Forest as a nationally significant ecosystem providing critical water catchment functions, biodiversity conservation and climate regulation, arguing that such ecological systems cannot simply be recreated once destroyed. Courts Halt the project activities in Imenti forest. | FILE On the Ngong Road Forest case, the organisations said they were not opposed to infrastructure development but maintained that Kenya should pursue alternatives that avoid sacrificing protected public forests where viable options exist. They argued that Ngong Road Forest performs vital ecological functions for Nairobi by storing carbon, protecting biodiversity, moderating urban temperatures, safeguarding water catchments and providing recreational space for residents. The cases highlight a broader national debate over how Kenya should reconcile ambitious infrastructure and tourism projects with its environmental commitments. The proposed Imenti Forest developments have been promoted by the Government as investments intended to support regional development and government operations, while the Ngong Road Forest project is linked to improving access between Talanta Stadium and the Bomas International Conference Centre ahead of major international sporting events. Conservationists, however, argue that development should not come at the expense of gazetted forests that provide irreplaceable ecosystem services, including water security, biodiversity conservation, carbon storage and climate resilience. The debate comes as Kenya continues implementing its national programme to grow 15 billion trees by 2032, raising questions about whether new developments should be permitted within protected forests when alternative sites or alignments may be available. Although none of the court orders determine the merits of the projects themselves, they preserve the forests while the courts examine whether the developments satisfy constitutional requirements, environmental legislation and public participation obligations. For now, work on the contested sections of both Imenti Forest and Ngong Road Forest remains suspended, reinforcing the message that projects affecting Kenya’s protected forests will face increasingly rigorous judicial scrutiny before they are allowed to pContinue Reading

Pauline Ongaji wrote a new post

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:35:12 +0300

Kenyan Clean Energy Innovation Wins Global Climate Award A Kenyan clean energy company has earned global recognition after winning one of the world’s leading climate innovation awards. LinQ Powr, a Nairobi-based climate technology company, was named one of the winners of the 2026 Keeling Curve Prize during the inaugural Climate Curve Awards held in Aspen, Colorado in the USA. LinQ Powr was one of only two winners in the Transport & Mobility category, alongside U.S.-based sustainable aviation fuel company LanzaJet. The Kenyan company was recognised for addressing two pressing challenges affecting East Africa, unreliable electricity supply and the growing number of retired electric vehicle batteries. Rather than allowing used batteries to become waste, LinQ Powr refurbishes them into backup energy storage systems that keep electric motorcycle battery-swapping stations operating during power outages. The innovation ensures uninterrupted charging services for electric motorcycles, a rapidly expanding mode of transport across Kenya and the wider East African region. By extending the lifespan of EV batteries while strengthening energy reliability, the company has developed a circular economy model that reduces waste and supports the transition to cleaner transport. Charles Oyamo of LinQ Powr at a past pitching event. | Courtesy X The awards ceremony brought together climate scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and sustainability advocates from around the world to celebrate scalable climate solutions. “It’s rare to find an evening where high-stakes climate innovation meets genuine joy and humor,” said Jacquelyn Francis, Founder and Executive Director of Climate Curve. “The creativity on display here gives me immense hope. We are building a movement, and every solution matters.” The Keeling Curve Prize is Climate Curve’s flagship global awards programme, recognising organisations developing practical solutions to climate change. Winners are selected through a rigorous assessment process conducted by an international panel of experts from the public, private and non-profit sectors. Each winning organisation receives a US$50,000 prize aimed at helping promising climate ventures overcome the critical funding gap often referred to as the “valley of death”, which is the difficult stage between developing an innovation and achieving commercial scale. Since its launch, Climate Curve has awarded more than US$2.75 million to 80 climate-focused organisations worldwide and evaluated over 1,800 climate solutions. While LinQ Powr was Kenya’s sole winner, the 2026 Keeling Curve Prize recognised organisations from the United States, Singapore and Switzerland across five categories of Carbon Sinks, Energy, Finance, Social & Cultural Pathways, and Transport & Mobility. The winning projects ranged from carbon capture technologies and sustainable batteries to clean aviation fuel, community-led climate action and regeContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:13:47 +0300

Nairobi Biodiversity Talks Open With Warning That World Is Falling Behind On 2030 Nature Targets The world is off track to meet most of the 23 biodiversity targets agreed in 2022, according to a global assessment being discussed by governments in Nairobi. The revised draft finds that current policies, financing and action are insufficient to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by the 2030 deadline, despite increased global engagement since the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted. The report, known as the State of Biodiversity Action, identifies Target 8 that concerns reducing the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity while strengthening resilience, as the only target showing an overall trend in the required direction. The findings mean that commitments to restore degraded ecosystems, protect land and oceans, curb species extinction, reform environmentally harmful subsidies and mobilise biodiversity finance are all at risk of being missed unless governments sharply increase action. Delegates are examining the report during two consecutive meetings at the United Nations Office in Nairobi. The 28th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, known as SBSTTA-28, runs from July 27 to August 1. It will be followed by the seventh meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation, or SBI-7, from August 4 to 12. The first meeting examines whether the scientific evidence is credible and what it says about the condition of biodiversity. The second is expected to negotiate the finance, policies, institutional capacity and accountability measures needed to respond. Together, the Nairobi negotiations will prepare recommendations for the UN Biodiversity Conference, including the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17), to be held in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 19 to 30. COP17 will conduct the first formal global review of progress under the framework. For Kenya, biodiversity includes wildlife, the forests that regulate rivers and rainfall, insects that pollinate food crops, soils that sustain farming, rangelands used by pastoralists and coastal ecosystems that support fishing and protect communities from storms. The condition of the Mau, Aberdare, Cherangany, Mount Kenya and other water towers, for example, affects water availability far beyond the forests themselves. Degradation of rangelands reduces pasture and increases pressure on pastoral communities, while damage to mangroves and coral reefs threatens fisheries and coastal livelihoods. Wildlife and natural landscapes also support Kenya’s tourism industry. This makes biodiversity loss an economic and social issue, rather than solely a conservation concern. Kenya’s sixth national report to the Convention on Biological Diversity identified population growth, agricultural and settlement expansion, climate change and encroachment into fragile water-tower ecosystems among the continuing pressures on the country’s biodiversity. It also acknowledged that Kenya had not adopted national biodiversity targets under the previous Aichi framework and was reporting against the global targets instead. The Nairobi assessment therefore raises questions about whether biodiversity is being adequately considered when Kenya plans roads, housing, energy projects, agriculture, mining and urban development. The stakes are similarly high across Africa. More than 62 per cent of the continent’s rural population depends directly on ecosystem services, according to the UN Environment Programme. In most African countries, natural capital accounts for an estimated 30 to 50 per cent of total wealth. The global framework recognises Indigenous peoples and local communities as custodians of biodiversity and requires respect for their rights, knowledge and participation. One of the weakest areas identified in the assessment is Target 19, under which countries agreed to mobilise at least $200 billion annually for biodiversity by 2030. That commitment matters to African countries that have large conservation responsibilities but limited public resources and competing needs in health, education, food security and infrastructure. Asad Naqvi, director of the CBD Secretariat’s Implementation Support Division and secretary of the SBI meeting, said the assessment points to three underlying problems of humanity drawing down natural capital faster than it can recover, biodiversity not being properly integrated into economic and financial planning, and finance and technical capacity remaining inadequate. The Kunming-Montreal framework was adopted in December 2022 as the principal global plan for halting and reversing biodiversity loss. Among its best-known commitments is the “30 by 30” target to conserve at least 30 per cent of the world’s land, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans by 2030. The current assessment draws on 129 national reports, more than 160 sets of national targets and over 80 updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. It also incorporates scientific assessments and submissions from Indigenous peoples, local communities and other stakeholders. During SBSTTA-28, delegates will also consider marine and coastal biodiversity, protected and conserved areas, sustainable wildlife management, synthetic biology and the implications of the recent global assessment of businesses’ impacts and dependence on nature. SBI-7 will then address resource mobilisation, capacity-building, biodiversity integration across government and economic sectors, digital genetic information, and implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing. Convention Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker told delegates that the assessment had provided a shared evidence base, but cautioned that “evidence is only valuable if it informs action”. The Nairobi meetings will determine how firmly that evidence is translated into recommendations. The binding political decisions, however, will be made at COP17 in October, leaving governments barely four years to close the widening distance betContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:50:58 +0300

Sagana Dairy Farm Offers Lessons In Safer, Climate-Smart Food Production On the roof of a large cowshed at Meved Dairy Farm near Sagana town in Kirinyaga County, rows of solar panels absorb the intense sun. Below them, dairy cows produce milk for a market stretching from Nairobi to Marsabit, and manure that the farm converts into cooking gas and organic fertiliser. The arrangement captures the philosophy that Mwangi Githaiga and his wife, Ann Mwangi, have developed since establishing the farm during the 2007-08 post-election violence: that a farm should not only produce food. Rather, it should control what enters that food, manage its waste, reduce its dependence on external energy and remain financially viable through droughts and market disruptions. Meved’s experience is increasingly relevant as Kenya confronts two connected problems of consumers who are worried about pesticide residues, food adulteration and veterinary drugs entering the food chain, and farmers facing rising costs of feed, prolonged dry periods, unpredictable rainfall and pressure to reduce agriculture’s effects on soils, water, biodiversity and the climate. For Mwangi, a finance professional who has served as managing director of Kenya Women Finance Trust, responding to these pressures begins with treating farming as a professionally managed business: “We have to know what goes into the cow because that is what eventually comes out in the milk,” says Mwangi. Mwangi Githaiga, founder and co-director, Meved Dairy Farm in Sagana | Courtesy Neville Ng’ambwa The couple’s entry into dairy farming was not initially part of a grand agricultural plan. When violence followed Kenya’s disputed December 2007 election, the family moved from Nairobi to their land at Rukanga, between Makutano and Sagana. The area is relatively dry, and fresh milk was difficult to obtain. The couple started with a single local cow before buying cross-bred animals and expanding their herd. Demand for milk grew quickly as the surrounding community came looking for milk, but expansion brought a different problem because the farm could produce more milk than the local market could absorb. The farm initially lost surplus milk before securing a market with the New Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC). It subsequently invested in cooling, processing and value addition, including yoghurt and fermented milk. Mwangi estimates current output at about 700 litres a day. Milk is pasteurised and processed at the farm before distribution. Mwangi says Meved does not add preservatives to its fresh milk and yoghurt and depends instead on hygienic processing, refrigeration and rapid delivery. Meved’s emphasis on controlled production comes amid evidence that chemical residues can enter Kenya’s food system at several points. Veterinary drugs used to treat infections can remain in milk when farmers fail to observe the required withdrawal period. Dairy cows at Meved Dairy Farm in Sagana, Kirinyaga | Courtesy Neville Ng’ambwa A 2023 study of dairy farms in Kericho County detected nine antibiotics in 108 milk samples, although only three samples exceeded the relevant Codex limits, but researchers also found that nearly 99 per cent of the 248 farms surveyed had used antibiotics during the preceding year. Experts say that pasteurisation protects consumers from many disease-causing microorganisms, but it is not a substitute for responsible veterinary-drug use. Milk from treated animals must be withheld for the prescribed period, while processors need residue testing, traceability and reliable farm records. At Meved, food quality begins with feed production. The farm grows and conserves fodder and uses manure and material left after biogas production to fertilise its fields. The digestate returns nutrients and organic matter to the soil, reducing dependence on synthetic fertiliser and helping the soil retain water. That connection is important for conservation because excessive or poorly managed pesticide and fertiliser use can damage soil organisms, pollute rivers and groundwater and harm pollinators and other species that support food production. The United Nations Environment Programme warns that chemical residues can degrade ecosystems, diminish soil health and weaken farmers’ resilience to climate change. Poultry farming at Meved Dairy Farm in Sagana, Kirinyaga | Courtesy Neville Ng’ambwa This does not mean that organic manure is harmless, as excessive application can also pollute water or release greenhouse gases. Its value depends on correct treatment, nutrient assessment and application at rates that crops can use. Meved’s approach illustrates the importance of viewing manure as a managed resource rather than uncontrolled waste. The farm has used biogas since 2010. By capturing gas from decomposing manure, a biodigester can reduce uncontrolled methane emissions while replacing firewood or purchased cooking fuel. This creates a direct link between dairy production, forest conservation and climate mitigation due to less demand for fuelwood, thereby easing pressure on trees, while controlled manure treatment reduces pollution and captures energy that would otherwise be lost. Biogas does not eliminate dairy farming’s climate impact. Cattle also release methane during digestion, and producing fodder, pumping water, cooling milk and transporting products all consume energy. The farm’s solar system addresses part of that footprint. Such investments are becoming central to the future of East African dairy farming. Kenya produced about 5.5 billion litres of milk in 2025, while milk handled through the formal market rose by about 11.5 per cent to more than one billion litres, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ 2026 Economic Survey. As production grows, the sector must increase output without proportionately increasing methane emissions, land degradation or water use. The Dairy Interventions for Mitigation and Adaptation programme, approved for Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda in 2025, plans to invest US$358.26 million in improved feeds, manure management, pasture restoration, biogas, organic fertiliser and solar-powered cold chains. Poultry farming at Meved Dairy Farm in Sagana, Kirinyaga | Courtesy Neville Ng’ambwa Meved has diversified into poultry, with more than 5,000 layers. Farm management says the birds receive balanced feeds produced under its low-chemical approach, to supply eggs whose production can be traced more closely. This diversification spreads risk because when drought reduces milk production or dairy prices fall, poultry and value-added products provide alternative income. Crops provide livestock feed, livestock waste fertilises the crops, and dairy and poultry products generate several revenue streams from the same management system. The farm also receives school groups and farmers seeking practical knowledge. Children, including groups travelling from Nairobi, observe milk processing, livestock feeding, renewable-energy production and waste reuse. Farmers study fodder conservation, herd management, biogas production and value addition. For Mwangi, this transfer of knowledge is part of the farm’s wider purpose. Ann’s role in building the enterprise was recognised in April when she was named Woman Dairy Champion and Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2026 Africa Dairy Industry Awards. Meved’s main lesson is not that food safety and climate resilience depend on linked controls including responsible pesticide and veterinary-drug use, traceable feeds, healthy animals, residue testing, pasteurisation, refrigeration, careful manure mContinue Reading

Peter Ngare wrote a new post

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:50:50 +0300

Kenya's Development Drive Collides with Conservation When Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi addressed development partners in Nairobi on July 22, the meeting was intended to mobilise investment for forest restoration and climate resilience. Instead, his defence of infrastructure projects in forests and protected areas became the main public issue. “We can’t halt development because of conservation. We must develop. We must grow our economy, but at the same time, we must conserve,” he said. The remarks came as courts were considering disputes involving Nairobi National Park, Upper Imenti Forest and Ngong Road Forest. The government says the contested projects would improve public facilities, transport and tourism while creating jobs. Environmental organisations say the issue is not whether Kenya should develop, but why protected land is repeatedly selected and whether legal safeguards are followed before work begins. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) proposes moving the Nairobi Animal Orphanage from its 7.4-acre site to 89 acres on the northern side of Nairobi National Park, saying the ageing orphanage is too small for injured, orphaned and confiscated animals. Petitioners describe a broader development involving parking for about 1,300 vehicles, an access road and a pedestrian bridge to the Bomas of Kenya complex. They argue that the project would convert free-ranging wildlife habitat into intensive visitor and transport infrastructure. The conflict entered public view on June 8, when police used tear gas to disperse protesters outside the park and arrested at least nine people, including former Chief Justice David Maraga. The Environment and Land Court later inspected the existing orphanage and the proposed site and stopped further work pending a July 30 hearing. In Meru, the government proposes an airstrip in the Kithoka section of Upper Imenti Forest, alongside plans for a State Lodge, golf course and road expansion. The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) says the airstrip and supporting infrastructure would occupy about 11 hectares in an area with sparse vegetation. Mugambi has argued that the projects would improve aviation access, attract investment and create employment. Opponents question why the facilities must be built inside a gazetted forest that forms part of the Mount Kenya ecosystem and performs water-catchment, biodiversity and wildlife-habitat functions. They argue that the impact cannot be reduced to the hectares cleared because a runway and roads can fragment habitat, alter water movement and create access for further development. Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi addressing at past event | Courtesy X The Environment and Land Court issued orders barring clearing and construction while the petitions are heard. Petitioners later alleged that tree felling and machinery operations continued despite the orders. KFS subsequently announced public participation and an environmental and social impact assessment. Environmentalists argue that both processes should have preceded any work. The 60,000-seat Talanta Sports City is central to Kenya’s preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The government regards it as a sports and tourism investment. Conservation groups say its construction and proposed access roads add to decades of forest loss around Ngong Road Forest. Greenpeace Africa says about 50 acres associated with the forest landscape were taken up by the stadium, although published estimates vary. The dispute is sharpened by a February Environment and Land Court judgment that quashed approvals for a separate golf range, restaurant and miniature golf facility in the Miotoni block. The court found that the environmental assessment and public participation did not meet legal requirements. KFS had maintained that the facilities would occupy natural clearings and would not require trees to be felled. The individual projects are unfolding as a new forest law changes the rules governing public forests. President William Ruto assented to the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Act on May 29, which the government says will strengthen regulation, penalties, natural-capital accounting and community participation. The Green Belt Movement and Just Act have challenged provisions in the law allowing easements for public roads and installations and wayleaves for utilities inside public forests. They argue that the amendments give KFS excessive authority and could enable forest fragmentation. The government says controlled easements are necessary for roads, power lines, water systems and other public facilities and do not remove environmental safeguards. The government also points to its target of growing 15 billion trees and restoring 10.6 million hectares by 2032, claiming that about 1.78 billion trees had been planted. Environmentalists respond that planting totals do not measure seedling survival or replace the soils, water systems and ecological relationships of a mature forest. Mugambi’s position that Kenya must conserve while developing is not the central point of disagreement. The unresolved questions are whether the projects must occupy protected land, whether less damaging sites were considered and whether environmental assessments, public participation and court orders were respected before agencies committed themselves to construction. The pending rulings will therefore reach beyond the projects before the courts. They will help determine how much infrastructure can be placed inside a national park, what development claims can justify construction in a gazetted forest and how far state agencies may open public forests to roads and utility corriContinue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:38:40 +0300

Lamu’s ‘Eco Mamas’ Restore Corals, Mangroves and Coastal Livelihoods Along Kenya’s Lamu coast, Mwanasha Mbwana has watched the ocean change. Growing up on Shanga Rubu, a small island in the Lamu archipelago, the sea was both her playground and the foundation of community life. Its coral reefs provided breeding and feeding grounds for fish, supported local livelihoods and helped protect the shoreline. Over time, however, Mwanasha saw sections of the once-vibrant reefs deteriorate under pressure from climate change, pollution and unsustainable fishing practices. Instead of accepting the loss, she joined efforts to restore them. The 40-year-old mother of six is now widely known as Mama Matumbawe, Kiswahili for “Mother of Corals”, because of her work restoring damaged reefs and mobilising her community to protect the ocean. “I never thought I would venture into coral restoration, but the satisfaction I feel when I see a coral that I constructed growing motivates me to do more,” she says. Mwanasha leads a team of about 40 coral restoration practitioners working through the Pate Marine Community Conservancy. With support from the Northern Rangelands Trust and The Nature Conservancy, the team installs artificial structures on degraded sections of the seabed to provide a foundation on which coral fragments can grow. 40-year-old mother of six is now widely known as Mama Matumbawe, Kiswahili for “Mother of Corals” | Courtesy Coral restoration is painstaking work. The structures must be carefully placed, the coral fragments monitored and threats to the recovering reef controlled. Visible progress can take time, but each surviving coral contributes to the gradual recovery of the wider ecosystem. For Mwanasha, seeing marine life return to a restored area confirms that the effort is worthwhile. Healthy coral reefs provide habitats for fish and numerous other marine species. They also reduce the force of waves reaching the shore, helping to limit coastal erosion and protect settlements from storms. For fishing communities such as those on Pate Island, reef recovery is therefore connected directly to food security, household incomes and resilience to extreme weather. Mwanasha’s role extends beyond working in the water. She speaks to residents about the value of coral reefs and the practices needed to protect them. As an Early Childhood Development Education teacher, she also introduces children to conservation at an early age. Her work connects two generations: adults whose livelihoods depend on marine resources today and children who will inherit the condition in which those resources are left. The women restoring Lamu’s reefs are also challenging assumptions about who should make decisions concerning the ocean. Marine management and fishing have traditionally been treated as male domains in many coastal communities. Women’s involvement has often been concentrated in fish processing, trading and other activities conducted after the catch reaches the shore. By taking part in reef monitoring, restoration and community education, Mwanasha and her colleagues are expanding women’s influence over the management of the ecosystems on which their families depend. Their participation matters because environmental damage affects women in specific ways. Declining fish catches reduce household income and food availability, while stronger storms and coastal erosion place homes and community facilities at risk. Involving women in conservation allows their experience and priorities to inform local responses. Elsewhere on Pate Island, another woman is leading conservation work along the water’s edge. Zulfa Hassan, popularly known as Mama Mangrove, coordinates a group of between 20 and 30 women in Mtangawanda who restore and protect mangrove forests. Mwanasha Mbwana, known as Mama Coral or Mama Matumbawe, in the classroom where she teaches in the village of Shanga. | Courtesy Fauna-flora.org Mangroves form a natural barrier between land and sea. Their tangled roots provide nursery grounds for fish, trap sediment and help protect shorelines from erosion and storm surges. They also capture and store substantial quantities of carbon, particularly in the waterlogged soils beneath them, making their protection important to both climate mitigation and coastal adaptation. Zulfa’s initiative was initially met with scepticism. Some community members questioned why women were involving themselves in mangrove planting, work that had not traditionally been associated with them. The women continued through persistent planting and conservation work, demonstrating that restoring mangroves could protect the environment while creating opportunities for women. The initiative has also connected participants with microfinance activities, enabling them to strengthen household livelihoods alongside their conservation work. This link is critical. Coastal restoration is more likely to endure when communities can see how protecting an ecosystem also supports their immediate economic and social needs. Mwanasha and Zulfa are part of a growing group of women sometimes described as Lamu’s “Eco Mamas”. Their work shows that locally led climate action does not always begin with large institutions or expensive infrastructure. It can begin with residents recognising the deterioration of the ecosystems around them and organising to reverse it. The women are repairing two interconnected natural defences. Coral reefs weaken incoming waves before they reach the coast, while mangrove forests protect the shoreline and provide habitats for marine life. Restoring both ecosystems strengthens the resilience of coastal communities whose homes, food supplies and incomes are closely tied to the sea. Their work also demonstrates that conservation can produce changes beyond the environment. Women who were once questioned for entering male-dominated spaces are becoming restoration practitioners, community educators and local decision-makers. For Mwanasha, the motivation remains visible beneath the water, where a coral fragment fixed to a restoration structure survives, grows and gradually becomes part of a living reef. Each new growth carries the possibility of returning marine life, sustaining another fishing family and protecting another stretch of coast. Along Lamu’s islands, the Eco Mamas are showing that restoring nature can also restore livelihoods, community resilience and women’s place in dContinue Reading

Correspondent wrote a new post

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:02:33 +0300

Africa's EV Makers Test Solar Roofs on Vehicles to Supplement Batteries By Bonface Orucho African electric vehicle manufacturers are beginning to redesign vehicles so that sunlight becomes a complementary onboard energy source rather than simply an external source of electricity. The shift comes as engineers explore vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV), solar panels embedded into vehicle roofs and bodywork, as a practical way to supplement batteries, particularly in regions with abundant sunshine and still-developing charging infrastructure. Although Africa accounts for less than 2% of global installed solar generation capacity, it holds an estimated 40% of the world’s theoretical solar energy potential. According to the World Bank’s Global Solar Atlas, Africa records the world’s highest average long-term photovoltaic yield at 4.51 kWh/kWp per day and is the only continent whose average exceeds the benchmark for “excellent” solar conditions. More than 85% of the continent receives annual solar irradiation above 2,000 kWh per square metre, allowing relatively small rooftop solar arrays to generate meaningful amounts of electricity. Researchers from ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute, in a July 2026 study, found that EVs supported by dedicated off-grid solar charging systems could become economically competitive across much of Africa before 2040. After analysing more than 2,000 locations across 52 African countries, the researchers concluded that compact solar installations could reliably support a small electric vehicle travelling about 50 kilometres a day, suggesting the continent’s solar resource could become a competitive advantage for electric mobility. The findings come as improvements in lightweight photovoltaic cells, battery technology and power electronics make vehicle-integrated solar increasingly practical for extending driving range and powering auxiliary systems, even though rooftop panels remain too small to replace plug-in charging altogether. Because a car roof offers relatively little surface area for solar cells, integrated panels generate only modest amounts of electricity compared with standalone solar installations. In practice, the technology is generally viewed as a way to supplement batteries, power auxiliary systems and provide incremental range gains rather than replace plug-in charging altogether. Among Africa’s early commercial adopters is Tunisia’s Bako Motors, which has developed electric vehicles that integrate rooftop solar panels to supplement lithium iron phosphate batteries. Its compact Bako Bee, designed for urban mobility, delivers between 70 and 120 kilometres of range while using onboard solar energy to minimise charging top-ups. “Approximately 50% of our business activities are dedicated to exporting to Europe, and the rest is local to the Tunisian market,” according Boubaker Siala, founder and CEO of Bako Motors. The company recently completed its maiden export delivery of the Bee to Italy, marking one of the first commercial deployments of a solar-assisted African-designed electric vehicle into Europe. Bako is also expanding the concept into commercial logistics through the B-Van, a last-mile delivery vehicle offering up to 300 kilometres of range, 1,320 litres of cargo capacity and a 400-kilogram payload. Its integrated solar roof supplies supplementary energy that helps reduce charging frequency while powering onboard systems such as refrigeration, lighting and air conditioning. The company is scaling production through a new factory in Kalâat El Andalous targeting 8,000 vehicles annually, with around 80% destined for export markets including Italy, Germany and France. It also operates a manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia serving Gulf markets, reflecting growing international interest in its solar-assisted vehicle strategy. The trend is also attracting international manufacturers looking at African markets. Chinese manufacturer Solarky Mobility Technologies is preparing to enter South Africa with its sunV, which it describes as the world’s first mass-produced solar-assisted electric vehicle. Already operating in Tanzania, Thailand and Indonesia, the company has equipped the compact four-seater with a 10.2 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and an extendable rooftop photovoltaic system that expands from 1.6 to 3.2 square metres. According to the company, the solar array can generate enough electricity under favourable sunlight to add up to 50 kilometres of driving per day, reducing reliance on plug-in charging for urban commuters. Africa’s experiments extend well beyond commercial startups. Uganda’s Kiira Motors, which grew out of engineering research at Makerere University, equipped its Kayoola Solar Bus with roof-mounted solar panels that continuously recharge onboard battery banks and extend operating range. In Kenya, Solar-e-Cycles integrated a 300-watt photovoltaic roof into its Uhuru electric tricycle to supplement battery power while supporting productive uses including off-grid refrigeration and household electricity. South African universities are also helping advance the technology. Tshwane University of Technology’s SunChaser Solar Car Project has become one of Africa’s leading university-led solar mobility programmes, using student-designed vehicles as platforms for research into lightweight engineering, energy management systems and vehicle-integrated photovoltaics. The project gained international recognition in September 2025 when it won the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) Communication Prize. “The Solar Car Project is a story of resilience, innovation and engineering excellence. It is a call to the next generation to push boundaries, embrace sustainable technology and reimagine the future of mobility,” said Prof. Ben van Wyk, the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching, Learning and Technology. Although still niche, these initiatives reflect a growing engineering philosophy in which solar panels complement, rather than replace, rechargeable batteries. Vehicle design is only one side of that transition. Across East Africa, charging infrastructure is also beginning to incorporate solar generation. Burundi recently commissioned one of the region’s first fully solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations through a partnership involving Growth Energy, GEM e-Mobility and Solio Group, demonstrating how renewable electricity generation and transport infrastructure are beginning to evolve alongside advances in vehicle engineering. The movement mirrors a broader global shift. In the United States, Aptera Motors is developing an ultra-lightweight three-wheeled electric vehicle fitted with around 700 watts of integrated solar cells, which the company says can harvest up to 40 miles (64 kilometres) of off-grid driving range per day under favourable conditions. Germany’s Sono Motors has pivoted from building passenger cars to supplying solar retrofit kits for municipal buses, refrigerated trailers and delivery vans, enabling rooftop solar panels to feed electricity directly into high-voltage traction batteries. In the Netherlands, Lightyear has shifted from developing premium solar cars to supplying high-efficiency integrated photovoltaic systems to automotive manufacturers, reflecting growing industry interest in solar-assisted vehicle technology. Africa’s emerging experiments therefore form part of a wider engineering direction, but one shaped by the continent’s combination of abundant sunshine, growing transport demand and still-developing charging networks. According to a 2025 analysis by the Energy for Growth Hub, Africa’s vehicle fleet could double by 2050, with motorisation rising from 73 to 150 vehicles per 1,000 people as incomes grow and urbanisation accelerates. Republished courtesy of Bird Story Agency:Continue Reading

Neville Ng'ambwa wrote a new post

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:09:42 +0300

Data Gaps and $5.13bn Funding Deficit Threaten Kenya’s Biodiversity Targets Kenya risks falling behind its 2030 biodiversity targets because of fragmented data, uneven species monitoring and a multibillion-dollar conservation funding gap, a new policy brief by CIFOR-ICRAF has warned. The brief says information held by government agencies, research organisations and conservation groups is not sufficiently integrated to provide a coherent national picture of changes in species and ecosystems. Kenya is recognised as one of the world’s megadiverse countries, with more than 35,000 recorded plant and animal species across forests, grasslands, wetlands, mountains, drylands and marine ecosystems. Natural-resource-dependent sectors generate an estimated 42 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product and account for about 70 per cent of employment, according to UN Environment Programme. This biodiversity supports agriculture, tourism, fisheries, energy production and rural livelihoods. It is, however, increasingly threatened by land-use change, climate change, pollution, overexploitation and invasive alien species. The CIFOR-ICRAF brief finds that Kenya has improved its reporting under international environmental agreements but still lacks an integrated system for tracking biodiversity trends at the national level. “Data are collected and stored by different institutions using varying indicators, methods and reporting schedules. The resulting institutional silos make it difficult to combine the information into national biodiversity indices that can show whether species and ecosystems are recovering or declining,” the bries says. Without comparable and regularly updated data, the brief says, policymakers may respond to biodiversity loss only after serious damage has occurred. Kenya is expected to measure its progress against the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which commits countries to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Courtesy AI The country completed and submitted its Seventh National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity in February 2026 following a multi-agency process involving government, researchers, civil society, the private sector and community representatives. The report is intended to show progress against the global framework. The policy brief also identifies a strong taxonomic imbalance in Kenya’s biodiversity monitoring. Research and conservation programmes tend to concentrate on well-known mammals and other visible species, including elephants, rhinos and large carnivores. Plants, fungi, insects, soil organisms and other microorganisms receive much less attention, despite their role in pollination, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, decomposition and ecosystem health. The shortage of information about these groups limits their consideration in conservation planning and funding decisions. “Wildfires are another major but inadequately measured source of biodiversity loss,” the brief says. “Existing monitoring systems do not consistently record where fires occur, how much land they burn, how often affected areas burn or how ecosystems recover afterwards. Kenya’s National Wildfire Management Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2034 identifies wildfires as a threat to forests, grasslands, wildlife habitats, soil organisms and livelihoods. The CIFOR-ICRAF brief recommends integrating satellite observations with field data to provide near-real-time information on fire outbreaks, burned areas and ecological damage. Financing remains an additional obstacle. Kenya faces an estimated annual biodiversity-financing deficit of $5.13 billion, according to an assessment of nature-related financing and investment opportunities. The policy brief says existing public allocations, including wildlife and ecosystem-management budgets, do not match the scale of conservation needs. It calls for blended financing that combines government resources with private investment, development finance and other conservation mechanisms. CIFOR-ICRAF recommends establishing an interoperable national biodiversity data platform, agreeing on common indicators and reporting standards, strengthening technical capacity in national and county institutions, and expanding monitoring to neglected species and ecosystems. The brief also calls for closer cooperation among government agencies, universities, museums, conservation organisations, Indigenous peoples, local communities and the private sector. “Without integrated data and sustained financing,” the brief says, “Kenya will struggle to establish whether its conservation policies are reversing biodiversity lossContinue Reading