https://big3africa.org/activity/ Activity feed for the entire site. Tue, 25 Aug 2026 16:12:26 +0300 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-US 30 hourly 2 a793fb8e1c006c78ac05d79c79a34613 https://big3africa.org/?p=7329 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

]]> c2d7b67f1c9ea8649da32941df05d233 https://big3africa.org/?p=7325 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

]]> 351965ad4f22ace43dbf3fdc3c37799e https://big3africa.org/?p=7319 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

]]> afa7ebf77a1675471ef23077854276c9 https://big3africa.org/?p=7310 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

]]> ec2af48846ac4d03cb71d6e90543b4a0 https://big3africa.org/?p=7300 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

]]> 93aa7da24ca36cadbdae8e534ebb8b0f https://big3africa.org/?p=7292 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

]]> 04237f8189c927e81e1da2a842e4e4b4 https://big3africa.org/?p=7287 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

]]> d9e1d91de789bc367718c7dc88f1a6aa https://big3africa.org/?p=7277 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

]]> 7e16c84e10bf5ceaeadb17392f866cfb https://big3africa.org/?p=7273 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

]]> 40bbc396a37e47882e2a6f8db4fe0325 https://big3africa.org/?p=7267 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.birdstoryagencContinue Reading

]]> 73d7b451006f40bd57b274672e5d6c89 https://big3africa.org/?p=7242 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-harveContinue Reading

]]> ad77c08720cf952b2fdeb4bd7e051602 https://big3africa.org/?p=7237 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

]]> ff8d435ecd689c39138678e0620a1835 https://big3africa.org/?p=7229 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

]]> c6aea3b74ccc8f45cc6216d66cb8f59d https://big3africa.org/?p=7224 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

]]> b5ad236bc510f9ecb8aaf5d139dd46d1 https://big3africa.org/?p=7215 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 08:27:41 +0300 Kenya Unveils New Carbon Market Rules Kenya hasContinue Reading

]]> 51034f4cf4b24357f93124cc2acf7218 https://big3africa.org/?p=7207 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

]]> 2b826ea8dad8260ec353f3de56ac0207 https://big3africa.org/?p=7201 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

]]> 0d9271372d7fdd8cd7c84fe16535e660 https://big3africa.org/?p=7193 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

]]> 9ce2d37d84bfd7144f066dce0adc7363 https://big3africa.org/?p=7187 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

]]> c478bb8bad81e9ca18b95ac9d600e0e6 https://big3africa.org/?p=7181 Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:08:44 +0300 Nairobi Biodiversity Talks Set Agenda for COP17 AContinue Reading

]]> dd92355f1995f9dc5fbe5effa6fb1ec0 https://big3africa.org/?p=7173 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

]]> 7fd5559fc097cb1442d828780adf6679 https://big3africa.org/?p=7168 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

]]> 50ad02176968d7d2c47ea7ae24688403 https://big3africa.org/?p=7157 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

]]> 385d1ca3daf0b083ca001c9764778362 https://big3africa.org/?p=7138 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

]]> 711df87fcc33de8cb072532cbfe16d7e https://big3africa.org/?p=7121 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

]]> b3af486e8609f81e4595f8893d4ee6df https://big3africa.org/?p=7115 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

]]> 43d065c60d1a9b70b809a27873724999 https://big3africa.org/?p=7073 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

]]> 348b0618a18844116f94d96accdbbc39 https://big3africa.org/?p=7050 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

]]> d5a73189848108fb9694d83b7389a477 https://big3africa.org/?p=7034 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:37:55 +0300 Kenya Launches KSh34.1 Billion Climate Resilience Programme for Western Counties By Waweru Wairimu Kenya has officially launched the Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme (INReMP), an eight-year KSh34.1 billion (US$264 million) initiative designed to strengthen climate resilience, restore degraded ecosystems and improve food security for vulnerable farming communities. Jointly financed by the Government of Kenya and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the programme will directly benefit more than 407,000 rural households across ten counties in western Kenya: Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira. The programme seeks to address some of the country’s most pressing climate-related challenges through investments in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable farming practices, restoration of degraded forests, catchments and landscapes, and soil and water conservation. It also seeks to improved watershed management, sustainable natural resource management, livelihood diversification for rural communities, and strengthen resilience to droughts, floods and erratic rainfall. The State Department for Crop Development said the initiative adopts an integrated landscape approach, recognising that agricultural productivity depends on healthy ecosystems, reliable water resources and sustainable land management. By combining ecosystem restoration with improved farming practices, the programme aims to reduce land degradation while increasing farm productivity and rural incomes. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi at the launch of the Integrated Natural Resources Management Programme (INReMP) | Courtesy Min of Environment Western Kenya was selected because of its high agricultural potential alongside mounting environmental pressures, including soil erosion, declining soil fertility, deforestation and degradation of key water catchments. These challenges have been compounded by increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns associated with climate change, affecting crop production and household food security. The programme also supports Kenya’s broader climate commitments under the Climate Change Act, the National Climate Change Action Plan (2023–2027) and the country’s adaptation goals under the Paris Agreement. It complements ongoing national efforts to promote climate-smart agriculture, restore degraded landscapes and build resilient food systems capable of withstanding future climate shocks. With agriculture contributing about a fifth of Kenya’s GDP directly and supporting millions of livelihoods, the success of INReMP will depend on effective collaboration between the national and county governments, community participation and sustained investment over its eight-year implementation period. If successfully delivered, the programme could become one of Kenya’s largest integrated climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture initiatives, providing a model for landscape restoration and climate-resilient rContinue Reading

]]> 8b0b22c5cdc3e5cbc96790610f21e312 https://big3africa.org/?p=7022 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:56:12 +0300 From Farm Waste to Climate Solution: Why Biogas is Becoming Essential for Kenya's Future For Joe Gachanja, a dairy farmer in Ndeiya, Limuru in Kiambu County, manure is no longer a waste problem. It is the engine that powers his farm, cuts production costs and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As climate change intensifies and countries search for practical ways to reduce emissions while safeguarding food production, Gachanja’s farm offers a glimpse of what climate-smart agriculture can look like. Through an 80-cubic-metre biodigester, manure from his dairy cows is converted into biogas used for cooking, heating water, powering farm equipment and generating electricity. The nutrient-rich slurry left after gas production is applied to crops as organic fertilizer, creating a circular farming system where virtually nothing goes to waste. For Gachanja, the investment has transformed the economics of farming. “The system is not generating revenue directly. It is generating savings,” he says. Those savings are substantial. Before installing the biodigester, the farm relied on petrol-powered machinery and grid electricity. Today, biogas powers the chaff cutter, heats water, supports chicken brooding and provides electricity for several farm operations. “We are no longer paying electricity bills,” he explains. “For chaff cutting alone, we save about KSh30,000 every month because we no longer buy petrol. Before we used to spend KSh1000 daily in buying petrol.” His four-acre farm, developed after leaving the construction industry, has grown from an initial 10 dairy heifers purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic to a herd of about 50 cows. That steady supply of manure keeps the biodigester operating throughout the year. A shade with dairy cows in Kiambu county. | Courtesy Pauline Ongaji Beyond reducing energy costs, experts say such systems are becoming increasingly important because they simultaneously address two of agriculture’s biggest climate challenges: reducing emissions and helping farmers adapt to a changing climate. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), biogas and biomethane could supply about 20 percent of global gas demand using sustainable feedstocks while significantly cutting methane emissions from agriculture and organic waste. “Methane is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over the short term, making its reduction one of the fastest ways to slow global warming,” says Claudia Arndt, Senior Scientist and Lead of the Mazingira Centre at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that agriculture accounts for about 40 percent of human-caused methane emissions globally, largely from livestock. Instead of allowing methane from animal manure to escape into the atmosphere, biodigesters capture the gas and convert it into renewable energy. For Kenya, where livestock contributes more than 40 percent of agricultural GDP and supports millions of rural livelihoods, that represents a major opportunity. But biogas is more than a climate mitigation technology. It is increasingly becoming a climate adaptation necessity. As prolonged droughts, rising fuel prices and erratic weather place growing pressure on farmers, biodigesters provide a reliable source of clean energy while reducing dependence on expensive electricity, diesel, charcoal and firewood. At the same time, the bioslurry produced after digestion improves soil fertility, enhances moisture retention and helps crops withstand increasingly unpredictable weather. Peter Mwaura, Productive Systems Sales Manager at Good Formula Limited, says successful installations begin by understanding how farmers intend to use the gas. The company supplies both household biodigesters for domestic cooking and larger productive systems capable of supporting commercial dairy farms, schools and hotels. “We first ask what they want the biogas to do,” he explains. “Some want cooking energy, while others need to power chaff cutters, milking machines, water heating or chicken brooding. Each application has different energy requirements.” Designing the right system requires evaluating livestock numbers, equipment power requirements and available space. “The relationship between livestock and gas production is very important,” says Mwaura. “Sometimes farmers expect more gas than their animals can realistically produce, so proper sizing is essential.” Chaff Cutter at a farm in Kiambu County | Courtesy of Pauline Ongaji According to Michael Wakoli, Head of Technical Operations for Africa at Sistema.bio, Kenya’s mixed crop-and-livestock farming systems make the country particularly well suited to biogas technology. “Many dairy farmers with just two to six zero-grazed cows already produce enough manure for household cooking,” he says. Consistency, rather than sheer volume, determines how well a biodigester performs. Fresh manure must be mixed with water daily to maintain the microorganisms responsible for producing methane. While the initial investment can appear high, Wakoli says the economics are increasingly attractive. “Well-managed household biodigesters typically recover their installation costs within one to two years through savings on cooking fuel, electricity and chemical fertilizers,” he explains. On larger farms, replacing diesel and electricity used for feed preparation, milk cooling and water heating can generate even greater savings. However, experts caution that successful biogas systems depend on proper installation, regular feeding and adequate technical support. Many underperforming systems result not from faulty technology but from poor design, inconsistent operation or inadequate maintenance. Even on Gachanja’s farm, the system requires careful management. Cold weather slows microbial activity, reducing gas production, while periods of surplus gas require controlled release to ensure safe operation. Yet he says the greatest benefit has come from an unexpected source: bioslurry. “We don’t use chemical fertilizers anymore,” he says. “The fertilizer comes from the by-product of the biogas.” Researchers say bioslurry retains valuable nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium while improving soil structure, increasing water retention and stimulating beneficial microbial activity. These properties not only reduce fertilizer costs but also strengthen resilience against drought and declining soil fertility, making farms better able to withstand climate shocks. Some farmers are even beginning to sell surplus bioslurry, creating an additional income stream. Beyond agriculture, wider adoption of biogas could help Kenya tackle another pressing challenge of dependence on traditional cooking fuels. According to the IEA, nearly two-thirds of households in sub-Saharan Africa still rely on firewood or charcoal. Replacing these fuels with biogas reduces indoor air pollution, lowers carbon emissions and eases pressure on forests. Despite these benefits, adoption remains relatively low. High upfront costs, limited awareness and inadequate financing continue to discourage many smallholder farmers. Wakoli believes affordable credit, flexible repayment plans and targeted government incentives could significantly accelerate uptake. Demonstration farms are also helping rebuild confidence by allowing farmers to see functioning biodigesters before investing, and Gachanja’s farm has become one such learning centre. “When other farmers come here to learn, it is very satisfying,” he says. “If more farmers installed biogas, we would reduce fuel costs, produce organic food and help the environment.” He believes government support through grants or affordable loans would enable many more farmers to purchase dairy cows and install biodigesters. As climate change continues to threaten food production through droughts, erratic rainfall and rising production costs, experts argue that biogas is not just an alternative energy source. Rather, it is an integrated climate solution that reduces methane emissions, replaces fossil fuels, restores soil health, lowers production costs and strengthens resilience within a single farming system. For Kenya’s livestock farmers, turning waste into renewable energy may prove to be one of the country’s most practical pathways towards climate-smartContinue Reading

]]> febfc1a16d3d1016ed5a4b62da499529 https://big3africa.org/?p=7013 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:14:19 +0300 El Niño Threat Raises Drought Fears for Horn of Africa Between July And September The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that a strengthening El Niño event is likely to reshape global rainfall patterns over the next three months, with the Greater Horn of Africa facing an increased likelihood of below-normal rainfall even as parts of West Africa are expected to receive above-average precipitation. According to the WMO’s latest Global Seasonal Climate Update, the July–September 2026 rainfall outlook reflects weather patterns that are consistent with a rapidly strengthening El Niño. El Niño is a climate phenomenon known for altering rainfall and temperature patterns across many parts of the world, and for Africa, the forecast presents a sharp regional contrast. The WMO said countries bordering the northern Gulf of Guinea are likely to experience above-normal rainfall during the period, while the Greater Horn of Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Eritrea and Djibouti, is more likely to record below-normal rainfall. The outlook raises fresh concerns for a region whose economies and food systems depend heavily on seasonal rainfall. Reduced rainfall could affect crop production, pasture availability, water resources and hydropower generation, while increasing drought risks if the forecast materialises. “The July–September 2026 rainfall outlook reflects a pattern that is consistent with a strengthening El Niño event,” the WMO said in its update. The agency noted that the forecast is based on strong agreement among multiple global climate models, giving scientists high confidence that El Niño will continue strengthening through the second half of the year. Ocean temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific are projected to rise by more than 2°C above average in key monitoring regions, signalling the development of a strong event. Beyond Africa, the WMO forecasts above-normal rainfall across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, while below-normal rainfall is expected across parts of the tropical Indian Ocean, the Indian subcontinent and much of Australia. Drier-than-average conditions are also projected for parts of Central America, the Caribbean and northwestern South America, whereas wetter conditions are expected in parts of the southwestern United States. Europe is forecast to experience a north-south rainfall contrast, although confidence in the European outlook remains comparatively lower. The WMO warned that El Niño generally increases the likelihood of climate extremes such as heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and flooding, although its impacts vary from region to region depending on local climate conditions and interactions with other ocean-atmosphere systems. The UN weather agency said it is intensifying coordination with governments, humanitarian organisations and climate-sensitive sectors, including agriculture, health and water management, to strengthen preparedness and early warning systems. It is also expanding climate information services, technical exchanges and regional briefings to help countries anticipate and minimise the impacts of the emerging El Niño event that is expected to peak startiContinue Reading

]]> b7f497c6ee454f74dc7ae9d77e391008 https://big3africa.org/?p=7003 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 06:49:57 +0300 How The Gulf War Is Threatening Kenya’s Food Security By Achieng’ Otieno Standing in a lush green maize field in Trans-Nzoia County, 71-year-old farmer Philip Kitur should be looking forward to a bumper harvest. Instead, he is anxious. His 41-acre farm at Kipkeikei village is ready for top dressing, but he has been unable to secure urea fertilizer, a critical input that could determine whether his crop reaches its full potential. “The maize needs fertilizer now. Without it, I could lose nearly a third of my harvest,” Kitur told Mongabay. Kitur’s predicament reflects a growing concern across Kenya’s agricultural sector as escalating tensions in the Middle East threaten global fertilizer supplies and drive-up production costs for farmers. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is however arraying the fears, saying Kenya currently has sufficient fertilizer stocks, including about two million bags of top-dressing fertilizer, but acknowledges that the government is preparing for possible supply disruptions. “We cannot predict how long the conflict in the Middle East will last,” Kagwe said. “That is why we are already engaging Algeria for urea supplies and Morocco for additional fertilizer to safeguard the country’s food security.” 71-year-old farmer Philip Kitur a farmer in Trans Nzoia County | Courtesy Mongabay The concerns stem from the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf to the global fertilizer trade. Nearly one-third of the world’s seaborne urea passes through the region, while Kenya imports about 26 percent of its fertilizer through the Strait of Hormuz, according to UN Trade and Development data. Any disruption increases shipping costs through higher insurance premiums, fuel surcharges, longer shipping routes and delayed deliveries, costs that are eventually passed on to farmers. Although subsidized fertilizer prices have remained stable, commercial prices have surged. Josephine Ndonji, a tomato farmer in Kisumu County, says the cost of a 50-kilogram bag of urea jumped from about KSh6,000 ($46) in January to nearly KSh8,000 ($62) by March. “I ordered 25 bags but couldn’t get them from one supplier,” she said. “I had to source the rest from Makueni, then pay extra transport to Kisumu and finally to my farm in Ahero.” For many farmers, fertilizer is only part of the problem. Kitur says rising diesel prices have significantly increased the cost of ploughing, planting and transporting produce. Josephine Ndonji, a farmer at her tomato nursery in Ahero, Kisumu County, in Kenya. | Courtesy Mongabay “The government has helped by subsidizing fertilizer, but fuel prices have wiped out those savings,” he said. Diesel prices climbed sharply in 2026, rising from about KSh165.63 per litre in February to a record KSh242.92 in May before government intervention reduced the price to KSh222.86. Trans-Nzoia is Kenya’s largest maize-producing county. According to the 2025 National Agriculture Production Report, it produced 423,156 tonnes of maize in 2024, about 10.5 percent of the country’s total harvest of just over four million tonnes. Any disruption in fertilizer supply therefore has implications far beyond individual farmers, potentially affecting national food supplies and prices. To support production, the Kenyan government has continued its fertilizer subsidy programme, allocating about $61 million in the 2025/26 financial year to enable eligible farmers to purchase fertilizer at half the commercial price through registered agro-dealers. Farmers access the subsidy through the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS), which issues SMS vouchers after farmers register their farms and crops. By late 2025, more than 7.2 million of Kenya’s estimated 7.5 million smallholder farmers had enrolled in the system. Despite the programme, farmers in Trans-Nzoia endured long queues at government depots earlier this year as demand outstripped supplies. Kenya’s fertilizer strategy relies heavily on imports secured through government-to-government agreements and international suppliers. Since the fertilizer subsidy programme was introduced, Morocco has become Kenya’s principal supplier following disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. Russia has also remained a significant supplier through existing contracts, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and several European countries have filled supply gaps. The diversification enabled Kenya to withstand earlier global disruptions. However, renewed instability in the Gulf threatens another major test for the country’s food system. The government remains confident it can cushion farmers by diversifying fertilizer imports and maintaining strategic stocks. Yet the crisis has exposed a deeper vulnerability, because as long as Kenya depends on imported fertilizer, conflicts thousands of kilometres away can determine how much farmers pay to grow food, and ultimately what consumers pay at the market. The article has been republished from Mongabay: hContinue Reading

]]> cb07fac5b929b5881a99075830c04300 https://big3africa.org/?p=6994 Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:23:41 +0300 Northern Kenya Communities Share Sh655 Million in Carbon Credit Windfall By Waweru Wairimu Community conservancies across four northern Kenya countiesContinue Reading

]]> bb44e0dffecf46bb9275174ebaa0cca8 https://big3africa.org/?p=6978 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:54:00 +0300 June 2026 was the world's Second-Hottest June on Record, Copernicus Reveals June 2026 was the second-warmest June ever recorded globally, capping another month of extraordinary heat that scientists say underscores the growing risks posed by climate change. According to the latest Climate Bulletin released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the global average surface air temperature reached 16.54°C during June, making it 0.56°C warmer than the 1991–2020 average and 1.39°C above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900). While June narrowly missed becoming the hottest on record globally, Western Europe experienced its warmest June ever, as an intense late-month heatwave pushed temperatures more than 3°C above the seasonal average in parts of the region. The record-breaking temperatures extended beyond land. Copernicus reported that the average sea surface temperature outside the polar regions reached 20.86°C, the highest ever recorded for the month of June. Scientists said unusually warm oceans are providing additional energy that can intensify storms, marine heatwaves and other extreme weather events. Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said Europe had witnessed another example of how a warming climate is increasing the severity of extreme weather. According to the Climate Bulletin, June 2026 recorded the second-highest temperatures ever. | Courtesy “The impact of heat on Europe during the June heatwaves was exceptional,” he said, noting that rising temperatures are placing increasing pressure on public health, infrastructure and ecosystems. The findings come as climate scientists monitor the development of El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific, which typically add further warmth to the global climate system. Copernicus said the combination of persistently warm oceans, strengthening El Niño conditions and repeated heatwaves is increasing climate-related risks worldwide. Across Europe, the June heatwave disrupted daily life, forcing school closures in some areas, straining electricity systems and worsening wildfire conditions. Researchers estimate that extreme heat has already contributed to thousands of excess deaths across several European countries during recent heat events. The latest figures reinforce a broader warming trend observed over recent years. Scientists caution that while not every month will break global temperature records, the frequency of near-record heat is increasing because of human-driven greenhouse gas emissions. As global temperatures continue to rise, heatwaves are expected to become more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense. The findings carry implications far beyond Europe. Warmer oceans can alter rainfall patterns, strengthen tropical cyclones and affect fisheries, while higher global temperatures increase the likelihood of droughts, floods and heat stress in vulnerable regions, including Africa. For countries such as Kenya, which are already preparing for a possible strong El Niño later this year, the latest Copernicus data adds to growing evidence that climate extremes are becoming the new normal and that investments in early warning systems and climate adaptationContinue Reading

]]> 84962c4f7ae328e256dd5edc479b9083 https://big3africa.org/?p=6969 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:30:07 +0300 Owino Uhuru Victims Still Waiting for Justice as Court Gives NEMA Final Deadline Six years after winning one of Kenya’s most significant environmental justice cases, victims of lead poisoning in Mombasa’s Owino Uhuru settlement are still waiting for compensation ordered by the courts. The residents continue to live with the health, social and environmental consequences of toxic lead contamination linked to a battery recycling factory that operated in the settlement between 2007 and 2014. The factory was found to have exposed children, pregnant women and other residents to dangerous levels of lead, leaving many with long-term health complications while contaminating the surrounding environment. In 2020, the Environment and Land Court awarded the affected community KSh1.3 billion (about US$12 million) in compensation and ordered comprehensive environmental restoration of the area. The decision was later upheld by the Supreme Court, reinforcing the constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment and affirming that public institutions can be held accountable under the polluter pays principle. The judgment was widely celebrated as a landmark for environmental governance in Kenya and across Africa. However, despite the legal victory, none of the compensation has reached the victims. This continued delay has placed the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) under renewed judicial scrutiny with the Mombasa Environment and Land Court has giving NEMA a final seven-day ultimatum to explain why it has failed to comply with the court orders and to submit a clear, legally binding plan for settling the compensation. Justice Bellinda Akoth Akello warned that the extension should not be interpreted as an escape from accountability but as a final opportunity to comply with the law. The court indicated that failure to meet the deadline would trigger the automatic release of funds held in NEMA’s bank accounts to satisfy the decree. The court has also encouraged the parties to pursue an out-of-court settlement, provided it results in a realistic, enforceable and time-bound payment framework. The Center for Justice, Governance and Environmental Action (CJGEA), which has represented the affected community for years under the leadership of environmental justice advocate Phyllis Omido, has welcomed the possibility of negotiations but cautioned against further delays. The organisation says any agreement must guarantee the rights of the affected families and should not become another avenue for postponing justice through bureaucratic processes. The case represents a broader struggle for environmental justice, public accountability and the enforcementContinue Reading

]]> 35236cfdbb591515d982eb0e9106cfbc https://big3africa.org/?p=6944 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:53:37 +0300 Scientists Turn Weather Forecasts into Malaria Predictions African countries may be able to predict malaria outbreaks up to three months before they happen simply by paying closer attention to changes in rainfall, temperature, and vegetation. According to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the weather does not trigger malaria immediately. Instead, climate change creates conditions that allow mosquito populations to grow for weeks and months, creating a valuable window for health authorities to prepare before infections begin to rise. For countries where malaria continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people every year, that warning could mean the difference between preventing an outbreak and responding after hospitals are already overwhelmed. Researchers analysed nearly a decade of malaria records from 20 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia. They compared monthly malaria cases with changes in rainfall, temperature, vegetation, population density and elevation to understand how the environment shapes disease transmission. They concluded that climate leaves fingerprints on malaria long before people start falling sick. “Understanding these delayed climate effects can significantly improve malaria early warning systems,” the researchers said. Many people assume that more rain automatically means more malaria because mosquitoes breed in standing water. The new research shows the relationship is far more complicated. Moderate rainfall creates pools of water where mosquitoes lay their eggs, allowing their numbers to increase over the following weeks. But when rainfall becomes extremely heavy, floods can wash away mosquito eggs and larvae before they develop into adults. In other words, not every rainy season leads to more malaria as the timing also matters. The study found that the strongest effects of rainfall often appeared one to three months later, after mosquitoes had enough time to breed and spread the malaria parasite. The same pattern emerged with temperature because mosquitoes thrive under warm conditions because higher temperatures speed up their growth and help the malaria parasite develop faster inside the insect. But only up to a point. Once temperatures become too high, mosquito survival begins to decline. Extreme heat shortens their lifespan, leaving fewer insects alive long enough to transmit the disease. This means climate change will not increase malaria risk everywhere in the same way. Some regions may become more suitable for malaria transmission, while others could become too hot for mosquitoes to survive as effectively. The researchers also examined satellite images showing how green different landscapes become throughout the year. Greener vegetation usually indicates moist conditions that favour mosquito survival. As vegetation increased, malaria cases generally increased too. However, once landscapes became very green, the increase in malaria risk levelled off, suggesting there is a limit to how much vegetation contributes to mosquito populations. Perhaps the most important finding is that governments do not have to wait until clinics begin reporting rising malaria cases, because weather changes influence malaria several weeks or even months later, giving health authorities time to act in advance. That could include distributing mosquito nets before the rainy season, spraying homes in high-risk areas, stocking health facilities with malaria medicines and rapid diagnostic tests, and alerting communities about the increased risk. This means that instead of reacting to outbreaks, countries could prevent many of them from becoming severe. The findings come as Africa experiences increasingly unpredictable weather linked to climate change. Some areas are receiving heavier rainfall than before, while others face prolonged droughts and rising temperatures. Scientists have long warned that these changes could alter where and when malaria spreads. The new study suggests that climate information could become one of the most powerful tools for protecting communities from future outbreaks. Rather than relying only on health data, malaria control programmes could combine disease surveillance with weather forecasts and satellite observations to identify areas likely to experience increased transmission weeks before cases begin rising. The researchers say climate should not be viewed as the only factor influencing malaria. Access to healthcare, mosquito control programmes, housing conditions, poverty, and population movements all play important roles. However, because climate consistently affects mosquito breeding and parasite development, incorporating weather information into malaria planning could substantially improveContinue Reading

]]> b70e67e74562fc586a77560977472f35 https://big3africa.org/?p=6933 Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:42:45 +0300 KRA's Tax Relief Sparks Fresh Debate Over Plastic Pollution Every day, millions of Kenyans reach for a bottle of water believing they are making the safest choice for their health. But within minutes, many of those bottles begin a very different journey. Some are collected by waste pickers and recycled. Others are discarded along roadsides, dumped in overflowing bins, washed into rivers during heavy rains or carried downstream into lakes and the Indian Ocean. Under the relentless African sun, these bottles gradually break down into tiny plastic fragments known as microplastics and nanoplastics, which have become part of a global pollution crisis that scientists warn is increasingly finding its way back into the human body. These particles have been detected in drinking water, seafood, table salt, human blood, lungs, placentas and even brain tissue. While researchers are still studying the long-term health implications, the discoveries have intensified calls to tackle plastic pollution at its source rather than simply manage waste after it is created. Against this backdrop, a decision by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has triggered a national debate extending far beyond taxation. On July 1, KRA removed excise duty and mandatory excise stamp requirements on bottled water under the Finance Act, 2026. This means that manufacturers and importers will no longer pay the previous excise tax of Sh6.41 per litre or the Sh0.50 excise stamp fee. The policy is expected to lower retail prices and make bottled water more affordable for consumers. For many households, especially in urban areas where confidence in public water supplies remains inconsistent, the move is welcome. Government officials have argued that reducing the tax burden can improve access to safe drinking water while easing the cost of living and preventing water-borne diseases. But environmental campaigners warn that cheaper bottled water could come with a hidden cost of increased dependence on single-use plastic. Environmental activist James Wakibia argues that Kenya risks undermining years of progress in fighting plastic pollution. Environmental activist James Wakibia at the Gioto dumping site in Nakuru. | Courtesy Kimani Nyoike “The fight against plastic pollution cannot be won if policies make single-use plastics cheaper than sustainable alternatives,” Wakibia says, calling instead for investment in refill stations, public drinking water infrastructure and reusable packaging systems. “A tax reduction may provide immediate relief to consumers, but its long-term success will depend on whether Kenya simultaneously strengthens waste management systems and invests in sustainable alternatives,” Wakibia says. The debate reflects a global challenge facing governments on how to balance affordability, public health, economic realities and environmental protection. Economists have long recognised that lower prices generally increase consumption. For bottled water, that relationship has environmental consequences as every additional bottle sold represents another piece of plastic entering Kenya’s waste stream. If collection and recycling expand at the same pace, the impact can be reduced. But where waste systems cannot keep up, more bottles end up in dumpsites, drainage channels, rivers and eventually oceans. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), between 19 million and 23 million tonnes of plastic waste enter aquatic ecosystems every year, threatening biodiversity, fisheries and coastal economies. UNEP warns that without major changes in production and consumption patterns, global plastic waste could nearly triple by 2060. “The visible plastic waste we see is only part of the problem,” says Susan Gardner, Director of UNEP’s Ecosystems Division, noting that larger plastic products gradually fragment into microscopic particles that persist in the environment for decades. UNEP has warned that plastic pollution can no longer be treated simply as a waste-management issue. It has become a challenge affecting ecosystems, climate and human health. Kenya generates hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic waste annually, with beverage bottles among the fastest-growing categories. The country has made progress in developing a circular economy for plastics, supported by private companies, recycling organisations, county governments and thousands of informal waste collectors. However, recovery remains far below total consumption. Across cities, discarded plastic bottles are a common sight along highways, rivers and drainage systems. During heavy rainfall, blocked drainage contributes to flooding, while plastics washed downstream accumulate in rivers, lakes and coastal ecosystems. Marine scientists at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) have documented growing plastic pollution along Kenya’s coastline, where discarded plastics threaten turtles, seabirds, fish and other marine life. When marine animals ingest plastic fragments, the particles can affect feeding, growth and survival. For coastal communities dependent on fisheries and tourism, plastic pollution is increasingly becoming both an environmental and economic concern. Although Kenya’s recycling sector is growing, recycling alone cannot solve the problem as collection systems remain uneven, meaning many bottles never reach recycling facilities. Instead, they are burned, buried or washed into waterways. The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has consistently promoted stronger waste management, Extended Producer Responsibility regulations and sustainable production and consumption practices. The principle behind these reforms is that waste cannot be managed effectively if the volume of waste continues increasing. Supporters of the KRA tax relief argue that affordable bottled water addresses a genuine public need. Critics, however, say the move must be accompanied by investment in refill infrastructure, public water systems and stronger recycling networks. The solution, environmental experts argue, is not making safe water inaccessible, but it is reducing dependence on disposable packaging. Countries such as Germany, Norway and parts of Australia have introduced deposit-return systems where consumers receive financial incentives for returning empty beverage containers. For Kenya, similar approaches could strengthen the circular economy while encouraging sustainable consumer behaviour. The debate also has a climate dimension. Plastic production relies heavily on fossil fuels, and emissions occur throughout its lifecycle from extraction of raw materials to manufacturing, transportation and disposal. For a country already facing climate pressures through droughts, floods and changing rainfall patterns, reducing unnecessary plastic production is part of a wider sustainability challenge. Ultimately, the bottled water debate is not only about bottles. It is about how society defines value. A cheaper bottle today may appear affordable at the point of purchase, but the environmental costs may emerge years later in polluted rivers, damaged ecosystems and microscopic plastic particles circulating through the planet’s natural systems. The question facing Kenya is whether affordable water must come in a disposable bottle, or whether the country can build systems that protect both public health and theContinue Reading

]]> 010446ac12015a2211263aa22e437929 https://big3africa.org/?p=6915 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:27:01 +0300 Kenya Waste Movement Turns Trash into Economic Gold Kenya is witnessing a radical transformation in how urban communities perceive and handle refuse as the “Tunataka Taka” movement gains momentum across the country. The campaign, whose name translates to “We Want Waste,” is driving a nationwide shift toward a circular economy by repositioning discarded materials as valuable resources rather than environmental burdens. At the center of this revolution is the Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO), which is successfully utilizing digital storytelling to bridge the gap between policy and public action. Led by CEO James Odongo, KEPRO has moved beyond traditional advocacy by launching viral campaigns on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to engage a younger, climate-conscious demographic. A recent high-profile billboard campaign in Nairobi, featuring the provocative slogan “TUNA TAKA TAKA,” has sparked widespread public debate about the necessity of individual and corporate accountability in waste management. This shift in narrative coincides with the implementation of Kenya’s Sustainable Waste Management Act, which mandates Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for all producers and importers. Under the EPR framework, companies are now legally responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, ensuring that packaging and materials do not end up in landfills or polluting waterways. A billboard filled with plastic bottles on University Way. | Courtesy X The “Tunataka Taka” movement aligns perfectly with these legislative goals by promoting the systematic collection, sorting, and high-value recycling of plastic, paper, and glass. TakaTaka Solutions currently manages a massive waste value chain, sorting and processing household and industrial waste with a remarkable recovery rate of up to 95 percent. Their operations demonstrate that a zero-waste future is achievable in Africa through vertical integration, where waste is collected, washed, and processed into high-quality pellets for manufacturing. This industrial-scale recycling not only mitigates the environmental risks of plastic pollution but also creates thousands of green jobs for waste pickers and plant operators. Nairobi alone generates approximately 4,000 tons of waste daily, presenting a significant opportunity for economic growth if managed through structured circular systems. The movement is further bolstered by strategic international partnerships, such as the collaboration between the Kenya Red Cross and the University of Texas at Austin. These initiatives focus on improving sanitation and resource efficiency in challenging environments, including refugee camps like Kakuma, where waste management is a critical humanitarian issue. While these partnerships operate across different sectors, they share the common goal of building climate resilience through improved resource management and community-led conservation. The success of these campaigns suggests that Kenya is moving toward a future where the polluter-pays principle is not just a legal requirement but a social norm. By challenging the traditional “take-make-dispose” model, Kenya is setting a benchmark for other African nations in the transition toward a sustainable and resource-efficient eContinue Reading

]]> 487a6cd9495ba7c140e29615eb557404 https://big3africa.org/?p=6907 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:51:11 +0300 Five Lessons Africa Can Teach the World About Super El Niño By Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi & Mendy Ndlovu Climate prediction scientists announced in June 2026 that El Niño, a cycle that happens every two to seven years, had formed. It was expected to develop into one of the strongest on record – a “super” El Niño. El Niño occurs when the surface of the tropical Pacific Ocean becomes unusually warm. It can alter weather patterns worldwide, often leading to extreme events such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. In southern Africa, it causes hot, dry weather. In a previous cycle this pushed 18 million people into hunger. In East and Central Africa, it has brought heavy rain and flooding that have destroyed over 600,000 homes, as well as farmland and health services. In west Africa, it has reduced harvests, raised food prices and left families struggling with food shortages for years after the event. A “super” El Niño is caused by Pacific Ocean temperatures rising far more than normal. Parts of the Pacific are expected to be about 3°C warmer than average by the end of 2026. There have only been three other super El Niño events in modern records (since 1982). The most recent, in 2015-16, pushed more than 36 million people across east and southern Africa into hunger. The effects were felt through food and nutrition security, water scarcity, health access and livelihoods. The prospect of this happening again has triggered concern, understandably. My research has shown how Africa, with high levels of poverty, underdevelopment and weak infrastructure, is very exposed to climate risks which damage food systems and health. Focusing only on risk, however, tells only one side of the story. African countries have spent decades coping and adapting to repeated cycles of droughts, floods, rainfall variability and food insecurity. The continent has built valuable experience in managing multiple harsh conditions. The world needs to pay more attention to the knowledge, practices and adaptation strategies that African communities, institutions and researchers have developed through experience. As climate impacts intensify globally, these experiences offer valuable lessons for building resilience. 1. Preparedness is better than response: Across Africa, governments, researchers, humanitarian organisations and communities have recognised the value of taking action before disasters happen. Early warning systems, making plans and getting support ready can help reduce losses before they become humanitarian emergencies. There are still gaps in early warning systems, but on the whole, Africa’s Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action Situation Room and the systems in countries are becoming stronger. Progress is mainly slowed down by a lack of finance. In a super El Niño, droughts, food insecurity, and damage to health systems is much more severe. Being prepared means that communities can protect their livelihoods and avoid having to use up all their savings or borrow money to recover. 2. Indigenous and climate-resilient crops are part of the solution: Africa’s agricultural future can’t continue to depend entirely on a limited number of staple crops like maize and wheat that are increasingly vulnerable to climate stress. My research has highlighted the potential of neglected and underutilised crops such as sorghum, millet, bambara groundnut and cowpea. African communities have long cultivated these crops. They’re better adapted to harsh growing conditions than many conventional staple crops. 3. Water, energy, food and health cannot be treated separately: Climate impacts rarely stay within a single sector. A drought affects crop production. Reduced harvests affect food prices and nutrition. Water shortages place pressure on health systems. Energy disruptions can affect irrigation, healthcare delivery and economic activity. El Niño’s effects cascade across agriculture, water access, nutrition and health. There are connections between water, energy, food, environmental sustainability and health. Because these problems often happen together in Africa, countries have learned that the best solutions look at them together, not one by one. 4. The biggest limitation is finance, not knowledge: Across the continent, researchers, farmers, practitioners and institutions have developed ways of preparing for climate risks. More funding is needed. Development finance, climate change adaptation grants and concessional finance could help vulnerable countries and communities who cannot borrow on normal market terms to get the money they need for irrigation, health facilities and roads. Funding is also needed for smallholder farmers to insure their crops and livestock. Governments need money to pay for social protection and cash transfers. These provide safety nets in case of disaster so families are not forced to sell assets or take their children out of school. Many of these solutions are already known and tested. The challenge is in scaling them up. Climate adaptation finance to Africa remains far below what’s needed. The money promised is released slowly, the conditions for getting it are strict, governments are often required to put in some of their own money and the accounting systems are not always matched to local systems. This often prevents proven interventions from reaching the communities that need them most. 5. Partnership must replace paternalism: Climate resilience can’t be built through one-way relationships where solutions are designed elsewhere and delivered to African communities. Effective resilience depends on local ownership, trusted institutions and the ability of countries and communities to create or adapt solutions to their own contexts. Africa needs partnerships built on mutual learning, shared goals and recognition of existing expertise. This means strengthening institutions, expanding capabilities, supporting enabling networks and creating more flexible and diverse financing mechanisms. A super El Niño will test Africa’s systems, institutions and communities once again. But it can also show that Africa is a source of climate knowledge, adaptation experience and practical solutions developed under some of the most challenging conditions on Earth. Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi is a Professor of Climate Change, Food Systems and Health and Director of The Lancet Countdown in Africa, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Mendy Ndlovu is an Agrometeorologist and Researcher in the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems – Southern Africa programme, University of KwaZulu-Natal The article has been republished from The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/a-super-el-nino-is-coming-5-hard-won-lessonsContinue Reading

]]> e490a4e995f22f3e98017aaea58ac57d https://big3africa.org/?p=6900 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:04:08 +0300 World Bank Urges Kenya to Fast-Track Green Transport Reforms By Waweru Wairimu Kenya will be required to publish regulations supporting electric mobility and adopt mandatory green building standards as part of a new set of climate reforms tied to the next round of World Bank budget-support financing. The proposed conditions, which form part of the World Bank’s policy reforms for future lending, require the government to operationalise the National E-Mobility Policy through regulations that support the uptake of electric vehicles and other clean transport technologies. The reforms are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector while creating a clear regulatory environment for investors and manufacturers. The World Bank also wants Kenya to integrate green building standards into the Affordable Housing Policy and formally adopt the Kenya Green Building Standard, making minimum environmental performance requirements mandatory for all new buildings and major renovations. The standards are expected to improve energy efficiency, lower emissions and make buildings more resilient to climate change. According to the World Bank, the climate-related reforms form part of a broader programme aimed at strengthening climate action while improving governance and public financial management. The institution says sustainable buildings and cleaner transport systems are essential for reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and attracting climate finance. ROAM battery swapping station | Courtesy ROAM The lender notes that Kenya’s buildings and transport sectors are among the country’s fastest-growing sources of energy demand and emissions. “Establishing clear standards for construction and electric mobility is expected to stimulate private investment, create green jobs and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels over the long term,” the bank says. The reforms also complement Kenya’s commitment under its Nationally Determined Contribution to cut greenhouse gas emissions and transition towards a low-carbon economy. The World Bank estimates that implementing the sustainability-linked financing framework and green building reforms could help mobilise about US$750 million in climate finance linked to measurable emissions reductions by 2028. Kenya has in recent years emerged as one of Africa’s leading markets for electric motorcycles and buses, but stakeholders have argued that faster growth depends on clear regulations governing charging infrastructure, vehicle standards, safety requirements and fiscal incentives. The proposed e-mobility regulations are therefore expected to provide certainty for investors while accelerating the country’s transition to cleaner transport. The World Bank says the reforms will ultimately improve transparency, reduce waste, strengthen public finances and support sustainable economic growth, while ensuring Kenya’s development pathway remains aligned with its cliContinue Reading

]]> d57288dfa80c425cc89f87578d8dd898 https://big3africa.org/?p=6889 Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:52:29 +0300 Renewables Deliver Billions in Savings as Falling Costs Leave Fossil Fuels Behind Renewable energy are now delivering billions of dollars in savings while shielding countries from volatile fossil fuel prices, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says. According to the latest Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2025 report, the overwhelming majority of renewable power projects commissioned in 2025 generated electricity at a lower cost than new fossil fuel-fired plants, reinforcing the economic case for accelerating the global energy transition. The report concludes that renewables are not just an environmental choice but an economic imperative, as declining technology costs, improved manufacturing, stronger supply chains and cheaper battery storage continue to drive down electricity prices. IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said the findings demonstrate that renewable energy has become one of the strongest drivers of affordable economic development, energy security and industrial competitiveness, particularly as countries seek to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. The report estimates that renewable energy is saving governments, businesses and households hundreds of billions of dollars by avoiding expensive fossil fuel consumption. “Because renewable technologies rely on freely available resources such as sunlight, wind and flowing water rather than imported coal, oil or natural gas, they offer stable electricity prices over decades while insulating economies from global fuel price shocks,” said La Camera. The savings are especially significant in countries heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels, where fluctuating global energy prices often translate into higher electricity bills and increased inflation. IRENA notes that renewable investments also reduce exposure to geopolitical risks affecting international oil and gas markets, improving national energy security while lowering long-term operating costs. The report shows that utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind continue to be the lowest-cost sources of new electricity generation across most regions of the world. Even more significant is the rapid decline in battery storage costs, which is making renewable energy increasingly capable of supplying reliable electricity throughout the day and night. According to IRENA, solar and wind projects combined with battery storage are now capable of delivering round-the-clock electricity at costs that compete directly with, and in many cases undercut, new fossil fuel power plants in regions with strong renewable resources. This marks a major shift in the global energy sector, addressing one of the long-standing criticisms that renewable energy could not provide dependable power after sunset or during periods of low wind. Beyond cheaper electricity, renewable energy investments are generating broader economic benefits. IRENA says expanding renewable power creates employment across manufacturing, construction, engineering, operations and maintenance while stimulating domestic industries and reducing foreign exchange spending on imported fuels. Lower electricity prices, says IRENA, also improve industrial competitiveness by reducing production costs for manufacturers, encouraging investment and supporting economic growth. “For developing economies, including many African countries, the falling cost of renewable technologies presents an opportunity to expand electricity access without locking themselves into expensive fossil fuel infrastructure that could become stranded assets in the future,” the report notes. The findings carry particular significance for Africa, where hundreds of millions of people still lack reliable access to electricity despite the continent possessing some of the world’s richest solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower resources, yet investment has lagged because of financing constraints, weak transmission infrastructure and high borrowing costs. IRENA argues that reducing investment risks, strengthening electricity grids and mobilising affordable finance could enable African countries to leapfrog directly into low-cost renewable energy systems. “Lower-cost electricity would support industrialisation, improve healthcare and education services, boost agricultural productivity and create new green industries while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” the report states. The report suggests that fossil fuel generation is increasingly losing its traditional cost advantage. “Unlike renewable energy, fossil fuel power plants remain vulnerable to fluctuating fuel prices, carbon pricing policies and tightening environmental regulations, all of which increase operating costs over time. Meanwhile, technological innovation and economies of scale continue pushing renewable energy costs downward. “Battery prices have fallen dramatically over the past decade, making energy storage increasingly affordable and enabling renewable electricity to supply power more consistently across the day,” the report argues. IRENA concludes that the global transition to renewable energy is increasingly being driven by economics rather than climate policy alone. “With electricity demand expected to surge because of industrial growth, electrified transport and expanding digital infrastructure, investing in low-cost renewable energy offers countries an opportunity to strengthen energy security, reduce public expenditure on imported fuels and improve long-term economic resilience,” the report says. The agency says that continued investment in renewable generation, modern electricity grids and energy storage will be essential if countries are to meet rising demand while maintaining affordable electricitContinue Reading

]]> 32a84b4103649da83e986c85ec692971 https://big3africa.org/?p=6880 Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:45:08 +0300 Kindiki Assures Kenyans of El Niño Preparedness BContinue Reading

]]> cebacb3152ad4a23337609ed8c19fa62 https://big3africa.org/?p=6863 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:58:22 +0300 As Fish Disappear, Kenya's Coastal Families Fight for Survival By David Akana By midday, the fish still hadn’t arrived. Since 8 a.m., Alice Kazungu had been sitting at the Mida Creek landing site on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, waiting for fishers to return from the water. Hours later, she was still waiting. Around her, another woman scanned the creek for signs of approaching canoes. Some fishers had already returned empty-handed. Others had not returned at all. For Kazungu, a fishmonger and vice chair of the newly formed Mida Beach Management Unit (BMU), the long wait has become part of daily life. BMUs are the building blocks of fisheries co-management in Kenya, bringing together stakeholders in the sector, including fishers, fish sellers and traders: “There was a time when there was so much fish around here,” she says, pointing to the creek around her. “Now they, the fishers, bring back only two or three kilograms.” For Kazungu, the dwindling catch has become a question of survival. Married and raising children, she depends almost entirely on selling fish for income. When there is no fish, she occasionally sells palm wine tapped from coconut trees. But that is not enough to replace a livelihood built around the ocean. “When I go home, the children ask for food,” she says. “That is what worries me.” Her story echoes across Mida Creek, a sprawling network of mangroves, mudflats and tidal channels that forms part of the wider Watamu Marine National Reserve ecosystem. For generations, the creek has provided fish, crabs, and other marine resources that sustain coastal communities. Today, however, fishers and fishmongers say they are confronting a combination of pressures, ranging from declining fish stocks, environmental degradation and changing ocean conditions to growing competition for coastal space from tourism and private investment. A few meters away from the fishmongers sits Philip Baya, chairperson of the Dongokundu local fisher group. He has spent more than 30 years fishing these waters. Alice Kazungu, a fishmonger and vice chair of the newly formed Mida Beach Management Unit (BMU), in Watamu, Kenya. | Courtesy David Akana When he was young, he says, fish could be caught close to shore. Women waiting on the beach could watch fishers hauling in their catch just a little offshore. Today, boats must travel much farther into the creek or out toward the open sea. “There were a lot of fish here. Now there are no more fish here,” Baya says. Like many fishers, he attributes the decline partly to destructive fishing practices. Monofilament nets, illegal gear, poisoning and other methods have damaged seagrass beds and nursery habitats where fish once thrived, he says. Mangroves, too, have suffered as people dig for bait worms among their roots or clear vegetation. “Mangroves are breeding areas for fish. When they disappear, the fish disappear too,” Baya says. Fishers also point to changes they say they are observing in the creek itself. Several Mida community members described warmer waters and stronger tidal currents than they remember from previous decades. Some once common species have become scarce or disappeared altogether from local catches. While local observations do not on their own establish a direct climate trend, scientists have documented warming sea surface temperatures across parts of the western Indian Ocean, one of the fastest-warming tropical ocean regions globally. Around three decades ago, an El Niño hit the region affecting mangroves considerably. Now, another is building in the tropical Pacific and is expected to impact several coastlines, including the Western Indian Ocean. For fishers like Shauri Pola, the changes are visible enough. Born in the area, Pola has spent most of his life on the water. He began fishing as a child and now supports five children of his own through fishing. Looking ahead, he fears the future may be even harder than the present. “Right now, you can still see some fish. But if nothing changes, in five or ten years, you may not see even one,” he says. The worries of Mida Creek’s fishing communities extend beyond the water. Along the shoreline, tourism businesses and private investments have expanded as Watamu has grown into one of Kenya’s most popular coastal destinations. Resorts, restaurants and recreational boating operations now share space with traditional fishing activities. Many residents welcome tourism as an important source of jobs and income. Yet some fishers fear they are gradually losing access to areas they have relied on for generations. Fishers and fishmongers from Mida Creek in Watamu, Kenya. Communities here say fish stocks are no longer what they once were. | Courtesy David Akana Baya says communities are increasingly concerned about proposals that could affect landing sites used to launch, repair, and store fishing vessels. Without secure access points, fishers worry they could be pushed aside by developments that prioritize tourism over traditional livelihoods. Similar concerns are voiced by Said Bayathoya, a boat operator and fisher who has worked on the creek for more than two decades. He says development should not happen without community involvement: “This is our future. We are fishermen. This is the only way we have.” Bayathoya also points to another source of tension: pollution. He says some tourist boats leave litter behind in the creek, adding to environmental pressures already facing the ecosystem. Despite the challenges, Mida Creek’s fishers are not standing still. Across the creek, community groups have organized mangrove restoration campaigns, beach cleanups and awareness programs aimed at protecting the ecosystem on which their livelihoods depend. Kazungu is among those helping plant mangroves. She says the trees provide breeding grounds for fish, reduce erosion and help stabilize the shoreline. At the broader community level, the Mida Creek Conservation Community, an umbrella body bringing together dozens of local conservation groups, coordinates mangrove restoration and monitoring efforts. Chairperson Astley Mwanyale Kafulo says protecting mangroves is essential because they serve as nurseries for fish, crabs and other marine life. Fishers are also advocating for temporary no-fishing zones, sometimes referred to locally as fish enclosures. The idea is simply setting aside sections of the creek where fishing is prohibited, allowing fish populations to recover and reproduce before enclosed areas are reopened. Baya believes such protected areas could eventually benefit both fishers and tourism operators: “If we protect an area, the fish can multiply.” Other stakeholders say that government support could help reduce pressure on the creek by enabling fishers to access offshore fishing grounds instead of concentrating effort in nearshore habitats. Republished from Mongabay: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/06/in-kenyas-mida-cContinue Reading

]]> f450dfac4aab27ea70a0409bb332d71d https://big3africa.org/?p=6852 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:22:59 +0300 IRENA Warns Renewables Alone Won't Keep 1.5°C Goal Alive By Salem Al-Hajri The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says the world must move beyond simply expanding renewable energy and instead rapidly electrify economies, modernize electricity grids and phase out fossil fuel infrastructure if it is to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C within reach. In its latest report released in partnership with the Brazilian COP30 Presidency, IRENA says the global energy transition has entered a new phase where implementation will determine success. According to IRENA, fossil fuels still account for more than 80 percent of the world’s primary energy supply, making them the dominant driver of greenhouse gas emissions despite record growth in renewable energy deployment. The agency projects that under a pathway consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C, electricity should become the world’s dominant energy carrier. Electricity’s share of final energy consumption would increase from around 23 percent today to about 35 percent by 2035 and exceed 50 percent by 2050, with most of that electricity generated from renewable sources. At the same time, fossil fuels’ share of global energy demand would fall from about 80 percent today to roughly half by 2035 and below 20 percent by mid-century. IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera countries must redesign entire energy systems by integrating renewable electricity, strengthening power grids, expanding storage capacity, improving flexibility and investing in energy efficiency. The report identifies electricity grids as one of the greatest bottlenecks threatening the clean energy transition. While renewable energy installations are growing rapidly, transmission and distribution infrastructure is not expanding at the same pace, limiting the integration of new renewable generation into national power systems. IRENA warns that governments must dramatically increase investments in grid infrastructure, battery storage, digital technologies and flexible electricity systems to accommodate growing renewable generation. Without these investments, renewable energy projects risk delays, curtailment and reduced economic value. The agency also calls for accelerated electrification across transport, buildings and industry, arguing that replacing fossil-fuel technologies with electric alternatives powered by renewable energy offers the fastest route to reducing emissions. Beyond electrification, sectors that are difficult to decarbonize, including aviation, shipping and some heavy industries, will require sustainable fuels such as renewable hydrogen and its derivatives. The report further stresses that improving energy efficiency remains one of the cheapest and fastest methods of reducing fossil fuel dependence. IRENA notes that simply tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency improvements by 2030, while essential, will not by itself deliver the transition unless accompanied by broader structural reforms. Another major challenge identified is the orderly retirement of fossil fuel infrastructure. The agency says governments should develop long-term strategies to phase down coal, oil and gas assets while avoiding economic disruption, stranded investments and energy security risks. These plans should include measures to retrain workers, diversify regional economies and ensure communities dependent on fossil fuel industries are not left behind. The report also highlights the need for financial reforms to unlock investment, particularly in developing countries where the cost of capital remains significantly higher than in advanced economies. According to IRENA, affordable financing, policy certainty and international cooperation will be essential to accelerate renewable deployment and ensure that developing economies can participate fully in the global energy transition. For Africa, the roadmap presents both significant opportunities and major challenges. The continent possesses some of the world’s richest renewable energy resources, but continues to suffer from chronic underinvestment in energy infrastructure. Accelerating renewable energy deployment could simultaneously improve electricity access, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, create millions of jobs and strengthen resilience against climate change. Modern renewable energy systems could also help reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution linked to fossil fuel combustion and traditional biomass use, delivering substantial public health benefits while lowering greenhouse gas eContinue Reading

]]> 0454f6b32c9f8855d78075e3c614b463 https://big3africa.org/?p=6847 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:23:32 +0300 Kenya Races to Prepare for Powerful El Niño as Global Warnings Mount By Waweru Wairimu The Cabinet has approved the establishment of an Ad Hoc El Niño Committee to strengthen Kenya’s preparedness and response to climate-related disasters, as global climate agencies warn that El Niño conditions have developed and are expected to strengthen through the end of 2026. The committee will coordinate government agencies responsible for weather forecasting, disaster risk management, public health, infrastructure, water resources and humanitarian response in anticipation of the impacts associated with El Niño, which typically increases the likelihood of above-average rainfall across parts of East Africa. According to the latest outlook from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), El Niño conditions are already present and are expected to intensify into the Northern Hemisphere winter, with forecasts indicating a high probability of a strong event later this year. Although the exact impacts on Kenya will depend on regional weather patterns and seasonal forecasts issued by the Kenya Meteorological Department, a strong El Niño historically raises the risk of flooding, landslides, flash floods, infrastructure damage and outbreaks of waterborne diseases in many parts of the country. The Cabinet’s decision comes as Kenya seeks to avoid a repeat of the devastating 2023–2024 El Niño season, when torrential rains killed hundreds of people, displaced tens of thousands of families, swept away roads and bridges, destroyed crops and schools, and caused widespread economic losses. The floods also triggered landslides in several counties and increased cases of cholera and other waterborne diseases as sanitation systems were overwhelmed. The government’s response during the last El Niño included rescue operations by security agencies, evacuation of families from flood-prone areas, temporary closure of schools, distribution of relief food and non-food items, deployment of health workers, and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure. However, the response also drew criticism from humanitarian organisations, county governments and residents who argued that early warnings were not translated into timely action in many high-risk areas, leaving vulnerable communities exposed when floodwaters rose. Climate and disaster risk experts have since called for stronger coordination among national and county governments, better enforcement of land-use regulations, protection of wetlands and river corridors, investment in drainage systems, and faster dissemination of early warning information. The Ad Hoc El Niño Committee is expected to address many of those gaps by ensuring government agencies plan jointly before severe weather strikes. Its responsibilities are expected to include monitoring weather forecasts, coordinating emergency preparedness, pre-positioning relief supplies, identifying evacuation centres, protecting critical infrastructure and supporting public awareness campaigns. Environmental experts say the committee also signals growing recognition that climate-related disasters are becoming a recurring development challenge rather than isolated emergencies. As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists warn that El Niño events can interact with climate change to produce more intense rainfall and flooding in vulnerable regions. The effectiveness of the committee, analysts say, will ultimately be judged by whether it can translate forecasts into action, moving from emergency response after disasters occur to preparedness that saves lives, protects livelihoods and reduces economic lContinue Reading

]]> fab10863bda0deaca3e26e6e36ea1388 https://big3africa.org/?p=6841 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:18:58 +0300 Court Extends Orders Halting Meru State Lodge Project By Lyn Kendi The Environment and Land Court in Meru has extended conservatoryContinue Reading

]]> e5da208abdd21db281c8e4f74ea27d16 https://big3africa.org/?p=6833 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:02:49 +0300 Climate Change Linked to 1,300 Deaths in Europe's Record-Breaking Heatwave By Catherine Veloni Europe’s record-shattering heatwave has claimed an estimated 1,300 lives, with scientists warning that the overwhelming majority of the deaths would likely not have occurred without human-induced climate change. A rapid scientific assessment by the World Weather Attribution found that about 1,300 of an estimated 2,300 heat-related deaths recorded across 12 major European cities during the latest heatwave were linked directly to climate change.  Researchers said rising global temperatures intensified the heat by up to 4°C in some locations, making the deadly conditions far more severe than they would have been in a cooler climate. The findings came as Europe continued to shatter temperature records, with parts of Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary exceeding 40°C. France alone reported around 1,000 excess deaths during the heatwave, mostly among elderly people, while emergency services across the continent struggled with soaring hospital admissions, wildfires, transport disruptions and power outages. According to the researchers, older adults accounted for the vast majority of fatalities because prolonged exposure to extreme heat places enormous strain on the heart, lungs and kidneys. Urban areas were particularly vulnerable due to the “urban heat island” effect, where concrete and asphalt trap heat long after sunset. Europe is being hit by record-high temperatures in a heatwave that is expected to last for a further two weeks across the continent. | Courtesy The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Europe is warming at roughly twice the global average, making heatwaves one of the continent’s deadliest climate hazards. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said climate change is a present-day health emergency, urging governments to strengthen heat action plans, improve early warning systems and protect vulnerable populations. Scientists a World Weather Attribution have stressed that the latest event follows a worrying trend. Europe has experienced increasingly deadly summers in recent years, with more than 60,000 heat-related deaths recorded in 2022 and over 47,000 in 2023. They have warned that unless greenhouse gas emissions decline rapidly, such deadly heatwaves will become more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense. Beyond the immediate loss of life, the heatwave has disrupted transport networks as railway tracks buckled, roads softened under extreme temperatures and electricity demand surged for cooling. Rivers including the Danube and Italy’s Po fell to critically low levels, affecting shipping, agriculture and energy production. Wildfires also spread across several countries, threatening communities and ecosystems. Climate experts say the implications extend far beyond Europe. The same warming trends are expected to intensify heat extremes in Africa, including the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, where populations are often less protected by cooling infrastructure and healthcare systems. Increasing heat is projected to worsen food insecurity, reduce labour productivity, strain water supplies and heighten the risks of heat-related illnesses across the continent. Scientists have warned that every fraction of a degree of global warming avoided through rapid reductions in fossil fuel emissions would save lives, emphasizing that adaptation measures such as greener cities, improved healthcare preparedness and stronger early warning systems are becoming as essential as efforts to cuContinue Reading

]]> 33a7d13a58bf1b7354e15d0f4ea9d15f https://big3africa.org/?p=6824 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:33:55 +0300 Lack of Clean Energy Deepens Health and Climate Crisis Across Sub-Saharan Africa Hundreds of millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa are still living without electricity or clean cooking solutions, exposing them to preventable diseases, environmental degradation and worsening climate vulnerability. According to the newly released report Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2026 produced by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Statistics Division, says global progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 7 on universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030, remains uneven, with Sub-Saharan Africa falling furthest behind. According to the report, the region now accounts for the overwhelming majority of people worldwide who still lack electricity, despite steady gains in recent years. Rapid population growth, the report says, continues to outpace new electricity connections, leaving millions of households, particularly in rural communities, without reliable power. The report also identifies access to clean cooking as one of Africa’s greatest development challenges. Hundreds of millions of families continue to rely on firewood, charcoal and other polluting fuels for daily cooking, exposing women and children to dangerous indoor air pollution. Health experts involved in the report warn that smoke from traditional cooking methods contributes to respiratory diseases, heart conditions, strokes and premature deaths. Young children and women, who spend the most time near household cooking fires, bear the greatest burden of these health impacts. Beyond health, the report says dependence on biomass fuels is accelerating environmental degradation across many African countries. “Continued harvesting of wood for fuel contributes to forest loss, land degradation and biodiversity decline, while reducing ecosystems’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide.” The report notes that widespread use of inefficient cooking fuels also increases greenhouse gas emissions and black carbon pollution, linking energy poverty directly to climate change. At the same time, African communities remain among those most vulnerable to climate-related disasters, including prolonged droughts, floods and extreme heat, despite contributing only a small share of global emissions. The report says expanding renewable energy offers one of the continent’s biggest opportunities. Africa possesses abundant solar, wind, hydro and geothermal resources capable of delivering affordable electricity to remote communities while supporting climate mitigation and sustainable economic growth. The report highlights growing international momentum behind renewable energy deployment, including commitments by African governments to accelerate electricity access and expand clean energy infrastructure. However, it warns that investment levels remain far below what is required to achieve universal energy access by 2030. The report is urging governments, development partners and private investors to significantly increase financing for renewable energy projects, off-grid electrification and clean cooking technologies. They argue that accelerating investment would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also improve public health, protect forests, create jobs and strengthen resilience against climate change. Without a dramatic acceleration in action, the report concludes, Sub-Saharan Africa risks missing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal on energy, leaving hundreds of millions trapped in energy poverty with far-reaching consequences for human health, envContinue Reading

]]> 4071472122726969b7e2874798312778 https://big3africa.org/?p=6819 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:05:45 +0300 Verra Reinstates Northern Kenya Carbon Project Despite Indigenous Rights Concerns By Waweru Wairimu Carbon credit certification body Verra has reinstated the Northern Kenya Grassland Carbon Project for a second time, allowing the project to resume issuing carbon credits despite continuing legal disputes and criticism from Indigenous rights groups over land governance and community consent. Verra announced in a statement on June 18 that it had restored the project’s certification after the Chari Dedha Community reaffirmed its participation through a ratification process conducted under Kenya’s Community Land Act. The project had been placed under a Quality Control Review (QCR) after a January 2025 ruling by Kenya’s Environment and Land Court found that the Biliqo Bulesa Conservancy, where part of the project is implemented, and another conservancy outside the project’s boundaries had been established without following the legal procedures and community processes required on unregistered community land. The certification body said the ratification process brought the project back into compliance with its ownership requirements following a quality control review. The Northern Kenya Grassland Carbon Project, implemented by the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), covers about 1.9 million hectares across 22 community conservancies in Isiolo, Samburu, Marsabit and Laikipia counties. It is regarded as one of the world’s largest soil carbon removal projects, generating carbon credits through improved livestock grazing practices designed to restore degraded rangelands while storing carbon in the soil. The project was placed under review after Kenya’s Environment and Land Court ruled in January 2025 that the Biliqo Bulesa Conservancy and another conservancy had been established without following the legal procedures required on unregistered community land. The ruling prompted Verra to suspend the project while it assessed whether it still met certification requirements. Although the court decision is under appeal and an injunction has allowed the conservancies to continue operating, Verra said the community ratification process addressed the ownership concerns that had triggered the review. The decision has, however, reignited criticism from Indigenous rights campaigners, who argue that the project still lacks genuine free, prior and informed consent from affected communities. One of the groups, Survival International accused Verra of attempting to retroactively legitimize a project that it says should never have been approved, arguing that consent cannot be obtained years after a project has already been implemented. “The supposed ratification claimed to secure communities’ free, prior and informed consent. But that has to come before a project starts, not be bolted on 14 years later,” the organization said in a statement. The organization further argued that the court ruling raised broader questions about the legality of other conservancies participating in the project and warned that reinstating certification before the conclusion of the appeal undermined Indigenous land rights. The Northern Kenya carbon project has become one of the most closely watched carbon offset initiatives globally. Since its launch, it has attracted international corporate buyers including Meta, Netflix, and the International Airlines Group (owner of British Airways) seeking to offset emissions while financing conservation and community development in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands. NRT has consistently defended the project, maintaining that it improves rangeland health, supports wildlife conservation and channels carbon revenues into community development, including education, healthcare, water projects and local livelihoods. The organization has also rejected allegations that communities were inadequately consulted or unfairly excluded from project benefits. The controversy has become a landmark test for the credibility of voluntary carbon markets, with environmental experts saying the outcome could shape future standards governing Indigenous rights, community consent and benefit-sharing inContinue Reading

]]> 1f7af91d268a7b78b73833a2ce960400 https://big3africa.org/?p=6799 Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:50:55 +0300 Why Kenya Is Missing from Nescafé’s Sustainability Push As global coffee giant Nestlé celebrates what it describes as significant progress under its Nescafé Plan 2030 sustainability programme, Kenya is conspicuously missing from its latest progress report. The Nescafé Plan 2030 Progress Report 2025 paints a picture of a company investing heavily in climate resilience, regenerative agriculture, human rights, child protection and farmer livelihoods across coffee-growing regions worldwide. Yet Kenya, one of Africa’s most renowned coffee producers and East Africa’s second-largest coffee exporter after Ethiopia, barely features in the 19-page report. Instead, neighbouring Uganda emerges as one of the programme’s flagship African success stories. Uganda is among nine countries benefiting from enhanced human rights initiatives implemented through partnerships with organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), Terre des Hommes, and Save the Children. The report highlights Uganda as a pioneer in child protection efforts, including the launch of the Coffee Coalition for Children’s Rights, a collaborative initiative bringing together governments, communities, civil society groups and coffee companies to address child welfare issues in coffee-growing regions. For Kenya’s coffee sector, the omission raises important questions about participation, investment flows and the future of sustainability financing in African coffee production. Nestle HQ in Egypt | Courtesy The absence is particularly striking at a time when climate change is increasingly threatening coffee production across East Africa. Scientists warn that rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts and emerging pests are shrinking suitable coffee-growing areas worldwide. Arabica coffee, the premium variety for which Kenya is internationally celebrated, is especially vulnerable to temperature increases. Nestlé’s report repeatedly emphasizes regenerative agriculture as the company’s primary strategy for building climate resilience. By 2025, the company says 53 percent of its green coffee was sourced from farms adopting regenerative agricultural practices, surpassing its 2030 target ahead of schedule. The programme, the company says, has distributed more than 20 million climate-resilient coffee seedlings in 2025 alone, trained over 100,000 farmers and supported more than 400,000 hectares of farmland through field programmes. Yet none of the highlighted examples come from Kenya. Instead, Brazil is showcased for soil restoration techniques, Vietnam for large-scale seedling distribution, India for integrating beekeeping into coffee farming, while Uganda receives significant attention for social sustainability interventions. Though Kenya’s omission may not necessarily mean the country is excluded from Nestlé’s sourcing network, sustainability reporting increasingly influences investment decisions, donor partnerships and access to climate finance. Countries prominently featured in global sustainability programmes often attract technical assistance, pilot projects, training opportunities and funding for climate adaptation. This raises concerns about whether Kenya is receiving a proportional share of sustainability investments relative to its importance in the global coffee trade. For decades, Kenyan coffee has enjoyed a premium reputation in international markets because of its quality, traceability and distinctive flavour profile. Yet the country’s coffee sector has faced declining production, ageing farmers, land fragmentation, rising production costs and increasing climate pressures. According to sector experts, climate adaptation investments are becoming as important as market access in determining the future competitiveness of coffee-producing countries. The report suggests that Uganda’s growing prominence may reflect broader shifts in global coffee supply chains. Uganda has rapidly expanded coffee production in recent years through aggressive government support, farmer mobilisation and climate-resilient coffee expansion programmes. The country has also become a strategic focus for international sustainability initiatives seeking to address social and environmental challenges within agricultural supply chains. Nestlé’s report highlights Uganda as a testing ground for collaborative child protection systems that could potentially be replicated elsewhere in the coffee sector. The Coffee Coalition for Children’s Rights, launched in Uganda, is described as a model bringing together public institutions, social workers and local communities to address child protection risks in coffee-growing areas. As multinational companies increasingly position sustainability as central to their business models, visibility matters. The question emerging from Nestlé’s latest report is whether Kenya is securing its place within the next generation of climate-smart coffee investments that will shape the future of global coffee production. For a country whose coffee reputation has been built over generations, remaining competitive may increasingly depend not only on producing high-quality beans but also on attracting the climate adaptation resources, sustainability partnerships and regenerative agriculture investments that are rapidly transforming coffee landscapes elsewhere in Africa. As global coffee companies race to climate-proof their supply chains, Kenya’s relative absence from one of the industry’s flagship sustainability reports may be less about what is missing from a document and more about what is at stake for the future of one of the country’s most iconic agricuContinue Reading

]]>