COMESA The COMESA Secretariat is implementing a programme on Climate Change that aims at climate proofing Agriculture, Forestry and other land Use (AFOLU). Under Agriculture, Conservation Agriculture technology adoption has been identified as an important intervention on Climate Adaptation and mitigation. In this regard, The COMESA ministers of Agriculture have agreed that the region should ensure that 1.2 million farmers have access to CA technology by 2012.
With the support of COMESA Secretariat, the Government of Kenya has concluded the design of an Investment framework for up-scaling Climate Smart Agriculture and in particular conservation Agriculture.
The Agricultural sector in Kenya plays a significant role as the mainstay of the economy and as a Provider of livelihood for 70% of the Kenyan population. The country’s agriculture is dominated by smallholder farmers and it is estimated that 70% are women. At least 80% of Kenya’s population resides in 20% of the country’s land mass that comprises high and medium potential areas while 20% of the population occupies 80% of the land which comprises of the arid and semi-arid lands.
Conservation Agriculture practices contribute to improved farm yields which may result in improved living standards/ income. Further, CA enhances carbon sequestration and farmers can be supported to participate in carbon trading.
The Investment framework aims to contribute to both adaptation and mitigation to climate change through up scaling of Conservation Agriculture (CA). In the past, there have been efforts to promote CA in the Country but activities have been on small scale. The programme builds on the successes recorded on conservation agriculture.
The framework is anchored on the Climate Change response strategy and Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS). The Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (ASDS) will be implemented over a period of 10 years from 2009 to 2020.
The programme will engage a wide spectrum of stakeholders in designing and implementing
Innovative approaches towards the adaptation of CA practices to farmers’ diverse environmental and social economic circumstances. The program will involve private sectors such as; equipments, fertilizers, seeds and herbicides manufacturers, in stock and those involved in the delivery of these farm inputs. The program will develop and implement partnerships that forge synergies and complimentarily between private and public sector in delivery of CA related advisory services. While the private sector will manufacture the equipments, the government will provide institutional and financial support and create the market for these products by ensuring that more farmers practice CA.
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