Kenya has called on developed nations and global investors to urgently fund climate-smart agriculture, warning that failure to act could destabilize global food systems.
Speaking at the 3rd Climate Change Global Business Summit on Africa in Nairobi on Monday, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe highlighted the continent’s vulnerability, citing failed rainy seasons, widespread food insecurity, and massive livestock losses.
“It is a profound honor for me to join you today… we gather not only to discuss climate change, but to chart a path towards resilience, prosperity, and shared responsibility,” Kagwe said, stressing that agriculture in Kenya is “more than an economic sector. It is the lifeblood of our nation, the source of food, jobs, and dignity for millions of households.”
The CS highlighted Kenya’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture, which leaves farmers highly exposed to climate variability.
Between 2020 and 2023, the country endured five consecutive failed rainy seasons, leading to the worst drought in 40 years.
In 2022 alone, 4.4 million Kenyans faced acute food insecurity, while pastoralists lost over 2.5 million livestock. Subsequent floods in 2024 destroyed thousands of crops and damaged infrastructure, while 2026 has already seen extreme heat and drought in some regions and heavy rains in others.
“These extremes—droughts and floods—are no longer rare events,” Kagwe said.
Kagwe emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in thinking and planning, urging all stakeholders—government, private sector, civil society, and farmers—to work together.
He highlighted Kenya’s initiatives in climate-smart interventions, including drought-tolerant crop varieties, expanded irrigation, agroforestry, digital climate services, livestock insurance schemes, and renewable energy for agriculture.
“Food security is not just about production, it’s about access, equity, and resilience,” he said.
The CS called on the international community to provide funding aligned with locally driven priorities, warning against imposing external solutions.
“Please do not develop priorities sitting somewhere in Rome or any other capital… our priorities are here. They are homegrown,” he said.
Kenya has already mobilized over USD 250 million from the Green Climate Fund and bilateral partners but stressed that significantly more resources are needed.
Kagwe urged investors to view climate-smart agriculture not as a risk but as “one of the biggest opportunities of the decade,” adding that Africa has the potential to lead as “a champion of climate solutions.”
“Let us transform agriculture from a sector of vulnerability into a beacon of resilience. Kenya stands ready to lead, to partner, and to innovate… together, we will build a climate-secure Africa powered by resilience, innovation, and inclusive growth,” he said.