Nakuru: The County Government of Nakuru has intensified its campaigns to enable smallholder farmers to adopt climate-smart innovations and technologies to help them reduce production costs and boost their incomes. The devolved unit has announced that it has prioritized sustainable farming practices in its policies and budget to ensure food and nutrition security and build resilience against climate change shocks.
According to Kenya News Agency, Chief Officer for Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services, Dr. Michael Cheruiyot, stated that integrating climate-smart agriculture into county planning is critical for helping farmers adapt to changing weather patterns, improving livestock productivity, and building resilient food systems capable of withstanding climate shocks. Dr. Cheruiyot mentioned that his department, in collaboration with various state agencies, local and international firms, and research institutions, is building the capacity of both smallholder and large-scale farmers in practicing sustainable agriculture to improve crop yields, stimulate the economy, and help mitigate climate change.
Speaking during a Policy Dialogue and Advocacy Workshop convened by the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) Kenya, Dr. Cheruiyot highlighted the county government’s commitment to increasing acreage under irrigation to move away from rain-fed farming. He explained that only 17 percent of agricultural land in Kenya can be sustained by rain annually, and to produce optimally in the remaining 83 percent, irrigation must be carried out. Nakuru County aims to increase its irrigation acreage from the current 1,000 hectares to 2,500 hectares across the county.
The Chief Officer elaborated that Nakuru County is aligning its climate action policies with Kenya’s national food security and climate adaptation agenda through integrated development planning. This move is expected to strengthen agricultural productivity, protect farmers’ livelihoods, and support the country’s transition towards climate-resilient food systems. The initiative is part of broader efforts to domesticate Kenya’s commitments under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and other national climate frameworks by embedding them into county development programs.
Dr. Cheruiyot noted that a significant amount of productive land in arid and semi-arid areas remains unproductive during the dry season, adding that putting the land under irrigation could increase food production and reduce food shortages. He revealed that the County administration uses various forums, including farmers’ field days, to disseminate information to farmers to address climate change challenges.
The County government, in collaboration with other public and private sector partners, is ensuring that farmers access crop varieties resilient to drought. Working with research institutions, state agencies, and private firms, the goal is to have farmers keep more heat-tolerant and disease-resistant livestock breeds adapted to prevailing tough climatic conditions. This would allow livestock to feed more efficiently and reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of product.
Dr. Cheruiyot emphasized the vulnerability of agriculture to climate change, particularly in Kenya, where crops rely heavily on regular, sufficient, and predictable rainfall. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns have created extreme weather conditions such as flash flooding, drought, and locust invasions, which have slashed crop yields and fueled regional conflict over diminishing essential resources.
The workshop, which brought together county and national government officials, development partners, civil society organizations, and policy experts, aimed to strengthen collaboration and integrate climate action and food security priorities into the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). Chief Officer for Economic Planning, Dr. Victor Achoka, stated that embedding climate adaptation and food security priorities into county development plans would improve evidence-based planning, strengthen resource allocation, and ensure public investments respond effectively to emerging environmental and economic challenges.
Participants reviewed existing county planning frameworks, identified policy and implementation gaps, and developed recommendations to strengthen coordination among agriculture, environment, water, and planning sectors. The proposals are expected to guide future policy implementation while promoting stronger collaboration between national and county governments. The dialogue underscored the important role counties play in implementing Kenya’s climate commitments, noting that successful adaptation depends largely on local investments in sustainable agriculture, water conservation, ecosystem restoration, and resilient food systems.
