Kenya held its first ever National Adaptation Planning meeting for the Agriculture sector on the 16 and 17 September.
The meeting aimed at building consensus on the priority actions for agriculture proposed in the 2013 – 2017 National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). These activities would then be fast-tracked for piloting.
The meeting was jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (MEWNR); Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MALF), and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) East Africa Program.
This is a summary of discussions by the thematic working group on Climate Smart Agriculture.
2. Definition
Definition:
Agriculture that sustainably increases productivity,
resilience (adaptation), reduces/removes GHGs
(mitigation), and enhances achievement of national
food security and development goals.
Key Message:
Agriculture in Kenya must undergo significant
transformation in order to meet the related
challenges of food security and climate change.
3. Priority Actions
1.1 Building resilience to effects of climate change
through water harvesting, storage and efficient use
for agricultural production.
1.1.1 Expansion of efficient management technologies
that promote water harvesting and storage at farm
level for priority crop and livestock value chains in
ASALs. by 2017.
1.1.2 Promotion of 300 small holder (communal) water
harvesting and storage structures such as water pans,
dams, rock catchments by 2017
4. Priority Actions…
1.1.3 Promotion of efficient water use/irrigation
technologies, 20% of the targeted 260,000 ha to be
under high value crops by 2017
1.1.4 To support Research and innovation on
technologies that promote and efficient use of water
through future climate projections that inform
farming practices
5. Priority Actions…
1.2 Agroforestry and sustainable land management.
1.2.1 Identify appropriate agroforestry practices/technologies
and determine potential for agroforestry in more marginal
lands to achieve additional 1.5 % tree cover by converting
70,000 ha to agroforestry to abate 1.04 MtCO2e by 2017
1.2.2 Promotion of sustainable land management
technologies: Integrated Soil Fertility Management
(ISFM), Soil and Water Conservation
1.2.3 Sustainable harvesting and utilization of wood products
6. Priority Actions…
1.3 Adoption of improved livestock and fisheries
measures
1.3.1 Promote uptake of recirculating system
aquaculture from 2 counties to 5 counties by 2017
1.3.2 Enhancing resilience through stocking and
restoration of natural waters (lakes and dams) for
biodiversity conservation.
1.3.2 Reduce fish post-harvest loss from current 25% to
5% in 2017
7. Priority Actions…
1.3.4 Improving animal health and access to market
leading to increased livestock productivity. (reduction
of emissions intensity ?? look at FAO stats) by
increasing the average milk production per cow from
5 litres to 12litres, price stabilization, carcass quality.
1.3.5 Establishment of pasture and feed conservation
technologies
1.3.6 Promotion of appropriate breeding technologies
1.3.7 Establishment of livestock insurance schemes