Food Systems

A new report warns that coffee’s global rise is coming at the planet’s expense. In Brazil, over 1.2 million hectares of forest have been cleared for plantations, while in Kenya, smallholder farmers face the pressure of survival amid shrinking coffee zones and climate change. As demand grows, the world must now ask—can we make coffee truly sustainable before it costs us our forests?

As Kenya joins the world in marking World Food Day, millions of families face the harsh reality of hunger driven by drought, floods, and rising food prices. Yet across the country, a new wave of climate-smart innovation is taking root — from water harvesting in Makueni to drought-tolerant crops in West Pokot — offering a path toward resilience, sustainability, and community hope.

The report, UNEP's seventh in the Frontiers series, identifies four emerging environmental issues with profound implications for Kenya, a nation already grappling with climate change despite contributing minimally to global emissions.

In 2014, while studying at the University of Nairobi, Ng’etich took the plunge and founded Synnefa, an agri-tech startup dedicated to equipping smallholder farmers with cutting-edge hardware and software solutions.

The First Lady, Mama Rachel Ruto has established her first three ’Mama Kitchen Garden’ at State House Primary School, Nairobi Primary School, and St. Georges Primary School.