Kenya

Food systems in Kenya

Farming is a crucial part of the economy in Kenya, providing a third of the country’s income. Small-scale farmers, many of them women, are the mainstay of the country’s agriculture sector. However, they often struggle with poverty and having sufficient and nutritious diets.  Climate change, land degradation, and limited access to resources are taking a heavy toll on their productivity. Young people are avoiding farming, seeing it as tedious and low-return work. Cultural norms also limit opportunities for women in agriculture.

Yet, the growing demand for food presents opportunities for positive change. By 2025, we aim to improve food security and incomes for 200k people in rural communities through our work and partnerships.

Practical Action contributes to transforming how agriculture works in rural Kenya by:

• Knowledge sharing. We’re supporting small farmers to develop ingenious ways of farming that are good for the environment while being more productive. We do this through training, learning from each other, and setting up demo sites.
• Increasing access to finance. We’re helping communities set up savings and loan groups and connect them with banks. This makes it easier for farmers to get the money they need.
• Connecting farmers to markets. We’re linking farmers with other market actors so they can get the best prices for their products. This also helps them know what’s happening in the market.
• Advocating for adequate policies. We’re using what we learn from our work to inform policy and plans that benefit the farmers.

Energy access in Kenya

With 2 out of 10 Kenyans without electricity and 8 out of 10 using charcoal or wood for cooking, the government has ambitious goals to turn this around by the end of this decade.

Yet, affordability issues and a lack of awareness about clean energy options pose challenges to this goal. In addition, energy policies are insufficient and fail to catalyse the change needed in the country. Being firm believers in the power of energy to transform lives, Practical Action works towards a future where vulnerable communities have access to affordable, sustainable energy solutions, contributing to a healthier environment and improved livelihoods.

Our goal is to help one million people access sustainable energy by 2025 through the following strategies:

• Empowering entrepreneurs: We support local entrepreneurs, particularly women, to offer clean energy solutions such as energy-efficient cookstoves, briquettes, and solar lighting.
• Raising awareness: We conduct mass awareness campaigns to educate communities about the benefits of clean energy products, fostering demand for their use.
• Advocating for powerful policies: We provide technical assistance to develop and implement inclusive, gender-sensitive energy policies and strategies.
• Promoting productive use: We encourage using clean energy for income-generating activities like irrigation, crops processing and cold storage chains. Innovative business models are being tested, and knowledge of the productive energy sector is enhanced through studies and assessments.

Climate resilience in Kenya

Climate change intensifies droughts and other natural disasters in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), still reeling from the worst drought in four decades. Vulnerable communities in these regions struggle to predict, prepare, and cope with climate shocks.

As water and pasture diminish, pastoralists face challenges to their primary source of food and income. Longer migration distances also increase the risk of conflicts over resources. Burdened with traditional tasks like wood fuel and water collection, food preparation, and childcare, women find their workloads increasingly unbearable. Climate information and early warning systems are limited, and existing policies and strategies to address climate change are often insufficient.

Working closely with communities, businesses and institutions, we are fostering a future of resilience and prosperity. Here’s how we’re turning this vision into reality:

• Providing safe water: With solar-powered boreholes, we supply safe water, enhancing human and animal health, children’s education, and easing women’s household chores.
• Empowering income generation: Activities like soap-making, poultry-keeping and cultivating fruits and vegetables diversify income, improve food security, and enhance financial independence for women.
• Sustainable resource management: We’re supporting the communities with ingenious solutions for optimal pasture management, agroforestry, water harvesting, soil conservation, and the restoration of indigenous forests.
• Early Warning Systems: We’re increasing timely access to climate information, reducing the loss of lives and livelihoods during drought emergencies.
• Advocating for policies and collaboration: We’re creating effective climate policies at the local and national levels, working hand in hand with different partners to amplify our impact and build a resilient future for ASAL communities.

WASH and waste in Kenya

The Lake Victoria Region, including Kisumu County, is densely populated, with two in ten Kenyans residing in this area. Rapid urbanisation has strained local authorities, leading to insufficient water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and waste management services. Currently, 60% of Kisumu residents face unmet needs for safe water and waste collection, resulting in health issues. Climate change-induced droughts and floods further threaten water availability and quality.

Practical Action aims to enhance water, sanitation, and waste management services for 100k people in low-income communities in Kisumu City and the Lake Victoria Region by 2025. To achieve a healthier and more sustainable future for these communities, we are taking the following actions:

• Improving water supply: We’re working with utility companies to increase household water connections and conduct water quality assessments, ensuring safe and affordable water access.
• Advancing sanitation services: Collaborating with private and social enterprises, we introduce climate-resilient sanitation technologies and facilitate faecal sludge management or financing for improved sanitation services.
• Promoting hygiene practices: Through behaviour change campaigns, we’re encouraging the use of hygiene services and practices. We’re also empowering private enterprises to offer low-cost hygiene products and services.
• Sustainable waste management: We’re boosting waste collection, recycling, and value-addition rates for sustainable solid waste management. Additionally, we’re testing innovative waste management solutions.
• Driving change at scale together: We help shape policies on water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management, providing the expertise needed for effective implementation. By teaming up with national and county governments, NGOs, and businesses, we share ideas and test out innovations—like digital tools for water quality and supply—to make meaningful, widespread impact.